Faced with a severe shortfall of the tissue culture variety of anti-rabies vaccine, West Bengal has asked the Centre to continue supply of the restricted nerve tissue variety vaccine till the demand-supply gap is met.
State Health minister Surjyakanta Mishra told reporters here today that the Centre had stopped supplying the nerve tissue variety a few years ago citing side-effects."However, since the demand-supply gap for the tissue culture variety is huge, we have urged the Centre to keep supplying the nerve tissue anti-rabies vaccine till such time," he said.
Only 10 per cent of the total anti-rabies vaccine was currently being met, he said.
The state government had also bestowed powers on the local primary health centres and hospitals for local purchase of anti-venom serum injections, which were also in short supply, he added.
Mishra brushed aside speculations that dengue had assumed alarming proportions in the metropolis saying every month about two to four cases were reported, but there was no fatality.
"Earlier, we had about 10 to 15 cases annually. This has gone up to about 60 now. However, there are two crore cases globally...It is bound to have a local effect," he said.
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Source:PTI News
