A major hospital in Jharkhand's capital is facing a shortage of anti-rabies vaccine at a time when the city records around 200 dog bite cases every day.

The shortage of anti-rabies injection has compounded the problem in Ranchi, which has over 25,000 stray dogs.

Malti Devi, who comes from a poor family, was bitten by a dog two months ago and went to the Ranchi Sadar hospital. She was told that the anti-rabies vaccine was not available. After repeated requests, she was told to get a recommendation from the local legislator so that she could get the anti-rabies shots.

In 2007, the Ranchi Sadar hospital recorded 5,269 cases of dog bites. Every day the hospital registers over 40 cases. This government hospital gets Rs.1 million every year to buy anti-rabies vaccine.

One dog bite victim needs five anti- rabies injections. The complete dose costs Rs.1,105.

Last year 14,346 people were provided anti-rabies vaccine in the state. By the end of April this year, 2,618 people have been given the vaccine.

'The fund allotted to us (is) much less than the number of cases we register every year. We can meet the demand only when the fund is raised 10 times,' said an official of the Ranchi Sadar hospital.

The local legislator has transferred money from his area fund so that the hospital can meet the rising demand for the vaccine. Those who get a letter of recommendation from him can now get a dose.

'On several occasions we wrote to the Ranchi Municipal Corporation and animal husbandry department to catch stray dogs and send them outside the city,' said Shayam Sundar Singh, civil surgeon of thee Ranchi Sadar hospital.

According to a veterinary doctor, the number of dog bites increases every summer and monsoon.