Jammu Jotting Impact:
Shyam Sood
Rajouri, June 14: The Jammu Jotting on June 12 carried out a detailed story under the heading ‘Rabies fear: 12 members of 4 families throng SDH Nowshera for vaccine jabs’ .
Considering the matter a sensitive issue, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Rajouri, Dr M. L. Rana vide his office communication (CMO/R?IDSP/2024-25/1981-86 dt 13/6/2024) directed Block Medical Officer (BMO) Nowshera to constitute a team to investigate suspected rabies cases due to rabid animals in village Qila Darhal (Nowshera).
12 members of 4 families hurried to SDH Nowshera to get anti-rabies vaccine shots after a cow, a calf, and a buffalo was diagnosed rabid.
BMO Nowshera, Dr Iqbal Malik on the direction of CMO constituted a five-member medical team for active surveillance of animal rabies and investigation with contact tracing as per National Rabies Control Program guidelines.
The team members include Dr Chander Parkash MO SDH Nowshera (Nodal Officer); Romesh Kumar CHO (Nowshera); Sakshi Datta (FMPHW Rajpur Bhata); Ajay Kumar (Lab Tech NHM); & Pawan Kumar (Pharmacist Pukhrani), all members.
BMO, Dr Iqbal Malik asked the team members to furnish the detailed comprehensive along with an action taken report as per norms to his office on Saturday positively for onward submission to the higher authorities.
Dr Iqbal Malik, BMO has also asked (BMO/Adm/NSR/2024-25/917-29 dt 14/6/2024) Chief Animal Husbandry Officer Rajouri to depute Dr Vikas Khajuria, Veterinary Assistant Surgeon (Qila Darhal) with Rabies Rapid Response (RRR) Team members for active surveillance of animal rabies and investigation with contact tracing as per National Rabies Control Program guidelines. “12 members of a family attended medicine OPD at SDH Nowshera on Tuesday who had contact with a rabid cow and had taken its milk & curd.
“It is not advisable to consume milk from rabid animals. So, all the members have been advised for anti-rabies vaccine (5 doses),” said BMO, Dr Iqbal Malik.
As all the 12 members of the families encountered the rabid animals & their saliva and consumed their milk/milk products, they were advised by the veterinary doctor to receive anti-rabies vaccine jabs.