Rabies Vaccine Supplies Run Out - Keep Away From Dogs!

The Russian-Georgian embargo has affected the drug supply, particularly rabies vaccines. Russia was the only country that supplied Georgia with this vaccine. At the moment, the blockade is underway and we have the only one way out -- to avoid dogs and other animals.

Evidently, the vaccine problem is not resolved since government representatives are providing conflicting information.  They are trying to avoid panicking people. For example, deputy chairman of the Parliamentary Committee of Healthcare, Gogita Gegelashvili, said that we would definitely have problems. "The deficiency of rabies vaccines from Russia can cause us serious problems, because they dominate the Georgian pharmaceutical market. Alternatives will soon be found, but the state will have to spend more money."

Yoseb Bregadze, Deputy Director General of the Joint State Social Insurance Fund said that there would be no problems. "Anti-rabies vaccines were imported from Russia, but because of the blockade, we have had to import 10,000 French vaccines recently.  Therefore, people will not have problems until the first week of December. In addition, a Russian delivery company has promised to import Russian vaccines to Georgia in late November. Ukraine and Azerbaijan will be transit countries for this purpose. The [vaccine shortage] should be resolved in the first ten days of January."

The Veterinary Department also confirms that Russia was the only source for anti-rabies vaccine for Georgia.  The vaccine is in great demand in Georgia. Ten people died last year and six this year from rabies. Head rabies specialist, Tsiuri Tushishvili, said that demand for the vaccine has greatly increased. "The Russian embargo forced us to import a French vaccine. According to the instructions, the time between injections is the same as the Russian vaccine and should not cause problems for doctors or patients. As for prices, there is substantial difference. The French vaccine is four or five times more expensive than Russian one. It will cause serious problems for the state budget. In 2005, at least 112,206 doses of the vaccine were administered, while in this year prior to September, 113,814 doses were administered…"

People are bitten mostly by dogs and cats in Tbilisi, while in the rural regions, donkey, horse, pig, wolf, monkey and bear bites are observed.  Tushishvili urges that people follow this advice: In case you are bitten, wash the bite by placing it in warm, soapy water.  Next, treat the wound with spirit or iodine.  After treating the wound, go to a medical facility that can administer rabies shots. 

Rabies symptoms can remain latent until ten days after the bite. According to Tushishvili, if a person already has symptoms of the disease, [such as weakness and feelings of trouble, fear, anxiety, or hallucinations] the chances of survival are small. Therefore, a person who has been bitten should immediately seek the help of a doctor. The location of the bite is also important. The most serious places are on the neck, head, and fingertips.

According to other rabies specialists, we cannot remain calm in Georgia because nearly 150,000 doses of the vaccine are used a year and ten doses are not enough for the entire population.

Eka Gulua