Rabies vaccine crisis deepens at Bhopal’s JP Hospital as supplies plunge

Bhopal: Government-run JP hospital, the city’s largest government facility for dog bite treatment, is facing a severe shortage of anti-rabies vaccines.

Latest stock figures reveal only 284 vials of vaccine remain, down from 748 vials on April 20 — a sharp 62% decline in just three weeks, according to stock availability as on Sunday. With nearly 2,500 vials required each month to meet patient demand, doctors estimate the remaining supply will last barely 8–10 days.

The hospital also holds 49 doses of equine rabies immunoglobulin, unchanged since April, but far short of the need. The Chief Medical and Health Officer’s office has slightly improved its buffer, rising from 6 to 106 vials of vaccine, along with 63 doses of immunoglobulin. Yet, this combined stock is insufficient to cover the city’s caseload.

Bhopal records around 20,000 dog bite cases annually, with JP Hospital treating nearly half. The shortage comes at a critical time, following the blacklisting of a supplier by the Madhya Pradesh Public Health Services Corporation Limited (MPPHSCL), according to sources. The supplier was debarred after failing to deliver contracted rabies immunoglobulin injections, leaving frontline facilities scrambling for alternatives.

Doctors warn that unless fresh consignments arrive immediately, patients may be forced to purchase vaccines privately, incurring out-of-pocket costs. “We are doing everything possible to stretch the available doses, but demand far outstrips supply,” said one senior physician, requesting anonymity.

Hospital authorities have remained silent on the issue, even as the crisis underscores the fragility of essential drug distribution. Meanwhile, municipal sterilisation efforts to control the stray dog population remain inadequate, with experts stressing that at least 60,000 sterilizations per year are needed to make a visible impact.

With stocks dwindling and procurement stalled, those impacted risks a public health emergency if urgent corrective measures are not taken.