Kozhikode: Kerala's anti-rabies vaccination has been mired in shortages and even grave lapses even as there is no end to the menace posed by stray dogs all across the state. Now, the distribution of one batch of the Equine Rabies Immune Globulin (ERIG) used for anti-rabies vaccination has been stopped after allergies were reported among those who were administered the vaccine.
After allergies were reported in Ernakulam, the General Hospital superintendent had lodged a complaint on November 26. But the order suspending the distribution was issued only on January 5.
In the batch that contains nearly 20,000 vials, all except 200 have been reportedly used. Only some are left in Pathanamthitta.
The delay in the report from the Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) is pushing the state towards vaccine shortage again. To resolve the issue, the Kerala Medical Services Corporation has decided to urgently procure 5,000 vials from Tamil Nadu.
It has been 70 days since the three batches from the Hyderabad vaccine manufacturing company for Kerala were sent to the central lab for quality checks. The checks are likely to be completed within 5 days. Once the nod is given for distribution, the 50,000 vials would be delivered to Kerala on the same day.
Last September, Manorama had reported that a total of 250 anti-rabies vaccines, brought to the state without subjecting to mandatory quality checks to be done by the manufacturers or receiving the CDL certification, were injected in patients. The vaccines were administered in Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram, and Thrissur districts. Since none of the recipients reported any allergy or other health issues, no further inquiry was made.
Lasy year certain lapses in the tender proceedings of the Kerala Medical Services Corporation Limited (KMSCL) resulted in the acute shortage of vaccines amid an increase in rabies cases in the state. The circumstances forced the authorities to bring the vaccine without obtaining the CDL quality check certification.
ERIG and HRIG
ERIG is produced in horses, whereas Human Rabies Immune Globulin (HRIG) is produced in humans. Both products contain antibodies specifically made against rabies virus. Both products are produced by vaccinating horses (ERIG) or humans (HRIG) and harvesting their plasma which contains antibodies against rabies virus.
