Rabies remains one of the fatal yet most avoidable diseases, with a near-100% mortality rate once symptoms appear. The only effective safeguard lies in timely post-exposure prophylaxis—anti-rabies vaccines and rabies immunoglobulin. Any retard or denial can cost a life.
The National Medical Commission’s order mandating all hospitals to maintain unbroken stocks of these life-saving drugs, in line with Supreme Court orders, is a vital step toward ending avoidable rabies deaths. Stock scarcity, often blamed on procurement lapses or weak planning, are no longer tolerable excuses.
Zero denial of rabies treatment means every animal-bite victim, regardless of location or time, must receive urgent care. Hospitals are not just treatment centres; they are first responders in public health emergencies. Ensuring round-the-clock accessibility of rabies prophylaxis is a matter of preparedness, responsibility, and moral duty.
With lucid legitimate backing now in place, the obstacle is implementation. Strict monitoring, translucent supply chains, and institutional responsibility can turn this mandate into measurable impact—safeguarding lives where delay once meant death.
No Stock, No Excuse: Ensuring Zero Denial of Rabies Treatment
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