Ministry of Health and Family Welfare accepts NHRC recommendation on Anti-Rabies Vaccine

New Delhi August 17, 2007 The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has accepted a major recommendation of the National Human Rights Commission on the use of Anti-Rabies Vaccine (ARV). This was conveyed through a communication from the Ministry to the Commission.
As per one of the recommendations of NHRC there was a need to develop 'Emergency Medicines' as a specialty to improve the emergency medical services in the country. Snakebite, dog bite and bleeding should be included in emergency services and their treatment be provided to all free of cost. The Commission had also recommended that an approval should be given to use of Intradermal Rabies Vaccination, as it will reduce the cost by 1/5th. It was felt that this will help even a single patient who is bitten by dog and hence a large number of people can be provided vaccine.
This recommendation formed a part of a number of recommendations, which came out at the end of the National Review Meeting on Health, held on March 6, 2007.
The Commission pursued the issue with the Ministry further. As a result, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has communicated that an approval has been granted to the use of Anti-Rabies Vaccine (ARV) in the country through Intradermal (ID) route. The communication also said that the earlier order of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) regarding number of patients attending these centers for allowing them to use ARV through ID route has been done away with. It said that the Drug Controller General of India has approved the use of ID route in those Anti-Rabies treatment Centers, which meet the following three important criteria --- have trained staff to give ARV through ID route; have cold chain facilities for vaccine storage and supply of syringes and needles; are well versed in management of open vial and safe storage practices.
The earlier order of the DGHS had said that Anti-Rabies Vaccine (ARV) will be provided to those hospitals only, which entertain at least 50 dog-bite per day. The Core Advisory Group on Health of NHRC in its meeting on January 22, 2007, had also expressed concern on the DGHS order.

**********