ONGOLE: Finally, the district Medical and Health Department has got the anti-rabies vaccine (ARV) stocks from the Central Drug Store (CDS).
Around 3,150 ARV vials have arrived and the stocks will be distributed to the hospitals as per priority and requirement.
Of late, as the ARV stocks were exhausted in most of the Primary Health Centres (PHCs), regional/area hospitals and even in the District General Hospital, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) Ongole, poor people who were not in a position to afford Rs 1,300 to Rs 1,800 per vial of ARV from private pharmacies, had suffered a lot.
To all 90 PHCs, seven area hospitals, 14 community health centres and RIMS Ongole, the government supplies all the required medicines by purchasing the stocks through the AP Medical Services and Infrastructure Development Corporation.
Prakasam requires around 25,000 ARV vials per year.