A new report by Kerala’s Directorate of Health Services (DHS) has revealed that delays in treatment and lack of resources were key reasons behind the recent tragic deaths of three children following dog bites. These deaths happened in Pathanamthitta, Malappuram, and Kollam districts.
The DHS submitted its findings to the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights. The report was requested after a petition by Kulathur Jaising, a High Court lawyer and public activist.
According to the report, all three children had deep and serious bite wounds, especially on sensitive areas like the head, neck, and upper limbs. These parts of the body have many nerves, and the rabies virus may have quickly reached the brain, making vaccines and rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) less effective.
One of the major issues the DHS highlighted was the delay in reaching advanced hospitals, as many are located far from rural areas. Also, RIG was not available at many primary health centres (PHCs), which further delayed life-saving treatment.
The DHS also found several other concerns, including:
- Lack of trained staff to handle serious bite cases
- Poor awareness among people about what to do after a dog bite
- Issues with vaccine storage and cold chain maintenance
- Improper methods used to give vaccines or RIG
- Delay in following proper protocols after a bite
The report said that in some cases, families didn’t know they needed to act fast, and missed the critical window for treatment after the bite.
The DHS has now called for immediate improvements in rural healthcare, better availability of RIG, awareness campaigns, and training for health workers to handle such emergencies.
This tragic situation has raised serious concerns about Kerala’s public health readiness and the urgent need to improve rabies prevention and post-bite care—especially for children, who remain the most vulnerable.
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