Delhi toddler turned away from hospital after stray dog bite as anti-rabies vaccine unavailable despite SC orders

Just three days after the Supreme Court directed authorities to ensure prompt treatment for dog-bite victims and maintain sufficient anti-rabies vaccine (ARV) stocks, a 22-month-old girl was reportedly turned away from Dr Hedgewar Aarogya Sansthan in Delhi on Thursday night after being scratched by a stray dog, reported TOI.

The child’s father, Munna Kumar of Radhey Shyam Park, Krishna Nagar, said his daughter was playing outside a relative’s home in Noida near Sector 78 when a stray dog attacked her, leaving scratches on both thighs.

"She was scratched on both legs. We rushed to Hedgewar Hospital in Karkardooma around 9pm, but the doctors said they didn't have the vaccine and asked us to go to another hospital," he told TOI.


Records reviewed by TOI show the case was logged as a Category II dog bite, involving minor scratches without bleeding, with a note stating, “Injection ARV N/A and refer to any govt hospital for ARV inj.”

The family then proceeded to Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital, where staff told them to return the next morning. The child eventually received the first ARV dose on Friday morning, nearly 12 hours after the incident, with a second dose scheduled for August 18.

Vaccine shortages

A senior Hedgewar Hospital official told the media outlet that ARV supplies had been requested three months ago from the central procurement agency, with delivery expected next week.

A GTB official added that while vaccines are available 24/7, they would investigate why the child could not receive treatment overnight.

The Supreme Court’s August 11 order stressed on immediate treatment for bite victims, public disclosure of vaccine stocks, creation of helplines, and sterilization and vaccination of stray dogs within 6–8 weeks.

Thursday’s incident highlights the gap between court directives and reality on the ground, stressing the urgent need for better stock monitoring and timely access to lifesaving vaccines across Delhi’s hospitals