Karachi: At least six people, most of them children, were treated after being bitten by a suspected rabid dog in the Bagh-e-Korangi area of Karachi in yet another alarming incident highlighting the growing threat posed by stray dogs in the city.
Health officials said all the victims suffered high-risk exposures and were immediately started on post-exposure prophylaxis as per standard rabies prevention guidelines.
According to Indus Hospital officials, victims sustained severe facial injuries, with bites to the nose, lips and areas close to the eyes, raising serious concerns about both the risk of rabies and the long-term physical and psychological trauma faced by child victims.
Doctors said facial dog bites are among the most dangerous because of the high concentration of nerves and blood vessels, and the close proximity to the brain.
Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, but it is entirely preventable if timely vaccination and immunoglobulin are administered after exposure.
Health authorities confirmed that the affected patients were provided immediate wound washing, anti-rabies vaccination and, where indicated, rabies immunoglobulin. Officials said the suspected rabid dog could not be traced after the attack, which complicates surveillance and control efforts.
Pakistan remains among the countries with the highest burden of rabies deaths globally. While official figures are limited due to underreporting, medical experts estimate that tens of thousands of people receive post-exposure rabies treatment every year in Pakistan following dog bites.
In large cities like Karachi, public hospitals report thousands of dog-bite cases annually, with a significant proportion involving children who are more vulnerable because of their height, slower reaction and tendency to panic during attacks.
Public health experts warn that stray dog populations have grown sharply in urban areas due to unchecked breeding, poor waste management that provides food sources, and weak municipal control systems.
Despite periodic dog culling or sporadic vaccination drives, there is no sustained, city-wide dog population management programme that combines mass vaccination, sterilisation and community awareness.
Residents of Korangi and nearby localities say stray dogs have become increasingly aggressive, particularly in early mornings and late evenings, when children walk to school or play in the streets. Parents have urged the authorities to take urgent action, warning that without a coordinated strategy, more children will continue to suffer life-altering injuries.
Health professionals stress that preventing rabies requires more than emergency treatment after bites. They call for a comprehensive urban rabies control programme, including mass vaccination of dogs, humane population control, safer waste disposal, and public education on avoiding dog attacks and seeking immediate medical care after any bite or scratch.