13 Die Of Rabies In Godavari

At least 13 people in the state have lost their lives to the lack of rabies vaccine, within a month.

"Over the span of a week, 12,800 were reported to have been bitten by dogs, and Rs. 39 lakhs has been spent on ensuring that the bitten are administered the anti-rabies vaccine," said P V Ramesh, Principal Secretary (Health).

However, the government is yet to respond to the people's call for it to intervene and alleviate the menace of stray rabid dogs. Irate villagers recently beat a rabid dog to death, and staged a dharna with the dog's corpse at the centre, demanding that officials concerned take action to protect them from mad dogs.

Capitalising on the lack of anti-rabies vaccine, a self-declared Baba sprouted in Karimnagar district advertising that he could hold rabies at bay.

Needless to say, he became an instant hit.

The white-garbed baba with a string of beads hanging from his left hand gives the following "medication": a one-time tablet of mud that is to be consumed on the first day of a month-long procedure. From the 2nd day onwards, the patient is required to consume, every morning, a spoonful of supposedly magical sugar.

According to sources, the baba mutters some unintelligible words over the sugar and distributes it to denizens, claiming it has the power to both prevent and cure rabies.