Aweil Civil Hospital in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State is grappling with lack of anti-rabies drugs amid a surge of dog bites in many villages in the area, a health official said.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Sunday, the hospital director, Reec Mathok Diing said they are unable to save lives due to lack of life-saving anti-rabies drugs.

He pointed out that the public hospital now refers rabies patients to private hospitals where they are charged, leaving many poor patients without treatment.

Diing said the main hospital receives about seven to eight rabies patients on a daily basis, but they lack essential medicines for them.

“The lack of anti-rabies drugs has become a big challenge. People know it is very expensive and the ministry of Health and organizations are not importing anti-rabies drugs,” he explained.

He appealed to the concerned authorities to supply the hospital with anti-rabies drugs.

Rabies is transmitted from animals to humans and is caused by a virus transmitted by infected domestic and wild animals through close contact with infected saliva through bites or scratches. It is always fatal when left untreated.