Gwalior: Stray dogs have become a severe problem in this Madhya Pradesh city, with 70,000 cases of dog bites reported in government hospitals between January and November of this year. The situation worsened as the winter set in, with 5,000 to 6,000 patients seeking treatment every month.
According to doctors, the majority of reported cases involve kids aged 6 to 15 years old, making them the most vulnerable among the population.
Stray dogs are freely roaming the streets and roads of Gwalior, routinely attacking passersby and instilling terror among the locals. Canines also inflict major injuries and prevent children from playing outdoors.
“We are worried about our children's safety as playing in the streets is impossible as stray dogs are everywhere,” said a parent.
Last week, 11-year-old Vivek Singh was attacked and bitten by a stray dog in his locality when he was playing outside his home. The incident has badly injured his hand.
Similarly, 8-year-old Naitik was also bitten by a stray dog when he was trying to play with it. “There are many stray dogs in our area that keep biting people every day. We're worried about our child's safety, and the authorities need to take immediate action,” his father lamented.
Chief Medical Health Officer (CMHO) Gwalior, Dr Sachin Srivastava, said that around 150-200 dog bite cases are reported every day. “District hospital receives 80 cases while over 100 cases come to other health centres and Jayarogya Hospital,” he said, citing the OPD data.
Dr Sudhir Saxena, Superintendent of Jayarogya Hospital recommended immediate action over the issue of stray dogs to prevent dog bites. He advised people to take precautions, such as avoiding stray dogs and not feeding them.
He also issued instructions for the people to follow if bitten by a dog. “People should wash and clean the injury spot thoroughly and seek medical attention without delay. We have treated over 22,315 patients with dog bites since January 1 and administered anti-rabies vaccines,” he said
Meanwhile, official estimates also pointed to the rising number of stray dogs as their population is 45,000 in Gwalior alone. Officials said that Gwalior Municipal Corporation has initiated the sterilizing process and catching stray dogs but Supreme Court guidelines and pet lovers often block their efforts.
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