Pune student with 96% in board exams dies of rabies
Umesh.Isalkar@timesgroup.com
Pune: 25.06.2018
Having scored 96% in Class X board exams, Deepak Mohalkar had been looking forward to June 21—the day he was to collect his mark sheet. Thanks to his high marks, he was certain of getting admission in the science stream and eventually, becoming an engineer. Instead, on June 20, Mohalkar was diagnosed with rabies and on June 23, he succumbed to the infection caused by a sixmonth-old inadequately treated dog bite.
“A neighbour’s puppy had bitten Deepak on the left leg six months ago. Though a deep wound, it had healed with treatment. However, he started developing symptoms a week ago. His condition deteriorated and on June 23, Deepak died at the Pune Municipal Corporation-run Naidu Infectious Disease Hospital,” said his brother Dattatray.
Incidentally, Deepak had sought prompt treatment from a private medical practitioner in his village and had visited a primary health centre to get the rabies vaccine. However, he did not get the fast-acting rabies antibodies (immunoglobulins) that deactivates the virus. Deepak’s case exposes the poor state of public healthcare in rural areas. The Naidu hospital reports 20-25 cases each year, most of them from rural Maharashtra.
Umesh.Isalkar@timesgroup.com
Pune: 25.06.2018
Having scored 96% in Class X board exams, Deepak Mohalkar had been looking forward to June 21—the day he was to collect his mark sheet. Thanks to his high marks, he was certain of getting admission in the science stream and eventually, becoming an engineer. Instead, on June 20, Mohalkar was diagnosed with rabies and on June 23, he succumbed to the infection caused by a sixmonth-old inadequately treated dog bite.
“A neighbour’s puppy had bitten Deepak on the left leg six months ago. Though a deep wound, it had healed with treatment. However, he started developing symptoms a week ago. His condition deteriorated and on June 23, Deepak died at the Pune Municipal Corporation-run Naidu Infectious Disease Hospital,” said his brother Dattatray.
Incidentally, Deepak had sought prompt treatment from a private medical practitioner in his village and had visited a primary health centre to get the rabies vaccine. However, he did not get the fast-acting rabies antibodies (immunoglobulins) that deactivates the virus. Deepak’s case exposes the poor state of public healthcare in rural areas. The Naidu hospital reports 20-25 cases each year, most of them from rural Maharashtra.
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