BENGALURU: The Karnataka government has issued a circular directing all the government and private hospitals to maintain a mandatory stock of Anti-Rabies Vaccines (ARV), rabies immunoglobulin and Anti-Snake Venom (ASV) at all times, following recent Supreme Court directions on dog-bite management.
The circular comes in response to the Supreme Court’s order which emphasised compulsory availability of anti-rabies treatment across all health facilities.
Calling rabies a notifiable disease in the state, the government has instructed all hospitals to ensure timely administration of ARV and a one-time dose of equine rabies immunoglobulin free of cost. The directive is aimed at supporting India’s goal of achieving “Zero Human Deaths due to Dog-Mediated Rabies by 2030”.
Snake bite victims
The order also notes that snakebite deaths and complications continue to remain significant, and mandates assured emergency care for all snakebite victims at the nearest available hospital.
Private hospitals must provide first aid
Under Karnataka Private Medical Establishment Act, 2007, private hospitals must provide first aid and lifesaving treatment to dog, animal and snake bite victims without demanding advance payment.
Further, the Karnataka Good Samaritan and Medical Professional Act, 2016 requires hospitals to offer free medical screening and first aid, and stabilise patients before referral if adequate facilities are not available.
The government has also clarified that district-level Registration and Grievance Authorities will reimburse hospitals for treatment costs they are unable to recover, at rates under the Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust scheme.
Failure to comply with these provisions, leading to the death of a bite victim, will be treated as medical negligence, attracting criminal charges under Section 106 of the BNS, 2023 leading to imprisonment of upto 2 years.
Hospitals may also face license cancellation in cases of serious or repeated dereliction of duty.