In an effort to combat the growing shortage of anti-rabies vaccines, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has urged manufacturers and marketers to increase their stock. This shortfall comes in the wake of delayed orders from the government and subsequent late payments. As per the Health Ministry’s data, India is currently grappling with a major rabies problem, being responsible for over one-third of the world’s rabies deaths annually.
The Rabies Crisis in India
With each passing year, as many as 20,000 people in India succumb to this preventable fatality. What’s alarming is the cause behind such a massive number of fatalities – rabies is mostly spread by the approximately 30 million stray dogs in the country, contributing to 96% of human rabies cases.
The Nature of Rabies
Rabies occurs due to a Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) virus contained in the saliva of an infected animal. Common carriers include dogs, cats, monkeys, among others. The virus is typically transmitted to humans through a bite from an infected animal, which introduces the virus-laden saliva into the wound.
The gestation period for rabies varies widely, ranging from four days to two years or more in rare cases. Rabies can lead to death within four days to two weeks typically due to cardio-respiratory failure. Hence, immediate measures to clean and disinfect the wound are critical to inhibit nerve infection and potential further complications.
The National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Authority (NPPA)
Set up in 1997 under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, the role of NPPA is multifaceted. It works on revising prices of controlled bulk drugs and formulations and enforcing prices and availability of medicines under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order (DPCO), 1995. This mechanism has since been updated with the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013.
In addition to controlled drugs, the NPPA also keeps an eye on the prices of decontrolled drugs in an attempt to maintain them at reasonable levels.
Statistics on Rabies and Vaccination in India
| Rabies cases annually | Number of deaths each year | Percentage of rabies spread by dogs |
|---|---|---|
| 20,000 | 20,000 | 96% |
Efforts to Increase Anti-Rabies Vaccine Stocks
In light of the persistently high rates of rabies infections leading to a considerable number of deaths in India, the NPPA’s call to manufacturers and marketers to boost their reserves of anti-rabies vaccines is a crucial step. The aim is to ensure an uninterrupted supply of vaccines for timely treatment of potential rabies patients and thus reduce the fatality rate.
