BACOLOD City – The City Health Office (CHO) projects another shortage in the supply of anti-rabies vaccine even after the Department of Health (DOH) sent 170 vials.
Nurse Gloria Parreño, a city rabies coordinator, said that as of May 10, only about 100 unused vials were left at the CHO.
The 70 vials only lasted for three days, added Dr. Diana Rose Laput, CHO rabies medical coordinator.
The vials were used for hundreds of animal bite patients in Bacolod – most of them, pet owners.
The vaccine shortage came after GlaxoSmithKline – one of the two companies supplying anti-rabies vaccines to the Philippines – had stopped its delivery.
March last year, the Chinese government discovered bacterial residue in GlaxoSmithKline’s products, prompting the stoppage of delivery.
GlaxoSmithKline had been supplying the anti-rabies vaccine rabipur to the Philippines while the other company Sanofi, the berorub.
Sanofi had continued sending its anti-rabies vaccine to the country but its supply was not enough./PN
