Chendamangalam, Ernakulam: Stray dogs are unleashing terror on Kerala streets again. Fifteen people, including a 93-year-old woman, were bitten by a stray dog at Chendamangalam on Tuesday in a span of six hours. The mad dog, which ran around the village, chased people and bit them, mostly on the legs.
Eight of the victims from Chendamangalam were admitted to Ernakulam General Hospital.
The victims include 93-year-old Kochamminiyamma, 82-year-old Rajamma and 85-year-old Venugopal. Other senior citizens targeted by the dog include Rajamani, 69, Thankam, 72, Mary, 60, Sita Devi, 64, Pushpa, 60 and Sumati, 64. The youngest victim is Anita, 22.
The victims were initially taken to the Taluk Hospital, but since the injuries were found to be serious they were shifted, some to the Medical College Hospital at Kalamassery and eight others to the General Hospital at Ernakulam. Another one is under care at the distant Kottayam Medical College Hospital.
Rajamma, Venugopal and one Asokan were seriously injured.
Rajamma, the worst-injured, is yet to recover from the horror of the dog attack. Her arm has been fractured as she fell down in the dog's attack.
She was sitting on the verandah of her house when the dog leaped on her and bit on both arms, knocking her down to the floor.
People rushed to her house hearing her cry. She was shifted to the Kottayam Medical College as she needs surgery for her arm.
Mad run
The dog was on a mad run through Koottukad, Chalipalam, Manakodam and Bharanimukku areas, and attacked everyone it came across. The first attack was reported at Koottukad at 6 am. It attacked Rajamani on her leg from behind while she was entering her house after sweeping the courtyard.
Thankam was bitten as she was returning from the Manakkodam temple. Asokan was pushing his vegetable cart when he got the bite. A chunk of flesh came off his leg and he had to have multiple stitches.
Venugopal was standing in front of his house when the dog bit him on his leg and thigh. Mary was washing clothes when the dog leaped on her.
The villagers beat the dog to death, suspecting rabies.
The victims have been administered anti-rabies shots. One of the patients at the General Hospital needs Human Rabies Immunoglobulin (HRIG) injection because of allergy. Hospital authorities said the medicine will be bought from outside.
No shots at taluk hospitals
Injections essential for deep dog bite injury are not available at taluk hospitals in Ernakulam district. The victims are often provided first aid and send to the General Hospital in Ernakulam or to Medical College hospitals in Thrissur, Kalamassery or Kottayam, thus posing hardship for the common man. The HRIG administered for deep injury costs Rs 5,000 plus. The government supplies it only to General Hospitals and Medical Colleges.
Civic bodies which oversee local hospitals do not buy this medicine because it is expensive and short-dated. Its availability at taluk hospitals, however, would be of great benefit to public.
Sterilisation drive fails
Local administrative bodies are mandated to catch stray dogs and sterilise them in a bid to limit their numbers. Unfortunately the drive is not effectively carried out in several villages as the authorities do not provide required facilities.
The street dog sterilisation programme run by the District Panchayats provide dog catchers and doctors. Village panchayats were asked to arrange surgery rooms, food for dogs and kennels. But the plan was not enforced in majority of the panchayats.
Perumbavoor and North Paravur municipalities had launched stray dog sterilisation centres with the support of the district panchayat, but it was discontinued after a while. The centre sterilises only dogs caught from within the municipality. Nearby villages have no use of the facility. It has been suggested that such centres could be made available to nearby local bodies also so that more dogs could be sterilised.