Karachi is witnessing a steady rise in dog-bite cases amid an expanding and largely unregulated stray dog population, placing increasing pressure on major public hospitals as thousands of residents seek treatment across the city.
Most cases are reported from Baldia, Lyari, Liaquatabad, Surjani, Korangi, Orangi Town, Azizabad, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, PIB Colony, Jahangir Road, Malir, Saudabad, Shah Faisal Colony, Usmania Colony and other localities.
Citizens complain that dog-bite incidents continue to increase because of inadequate measures to control the stray dog population. Treatment for a dog-bite victim can cost between Rs5,000 and Rs10,000, making it difficult for many families to afford private healthcare.
Hospital data highlights the scale of the problem. Jinnah Hospital has treated more than 60,000 dog-bite victims over the past five years. Between January and May 2026 alone, 6,248 people injured in dog attacks were brought to the hospital, while 10 later died.
Civil Hospital Karachi reported 6,691 new dog-bite cases between January and June 2026. The hospital is also treating 17,281 previously registered patients, bringing the total number of old and new cases to 32,620. Medical experts believe the situation has become a major public health concern.
Among the victims is Arif, a resident of Korangi, whose eight-year-old son was bitten on the leg by a stray dog while on his way to school. Arif revealed that he first took his son to Liaquatabad Hospital, where the anti-rabies vaccine was unavailable.
Doctors advised him to seek treatment at either Civil Hospital or Jinnah Hospital. “I eventually took my son to Civil Hospital, where doctors immediately administered injections and scheduled follow-up visits. A private clinic quoted Rs10,000 for treatment, forcing me to seek care at a government hospital,” said Arif.
According to Dr Khalid Bukhari, Medical Superintendent of Civil Hospital Karachi, dog-bite cases have risen steadily in recent years. “Victims are treated with antibiotics and anti-rabies vaccines, while severe cases may require additional medication.”
“Civil Hospital recorded 15,339 dog-bite cases in 2025, while 8,495 cases were reported in 2022 and 10,132 in 2023. The number of cases reported during the first half of 2026 indicates that the upward trend is continuing,” claimed Dr Bukhari.
“Anyone bitten by a dog should immediately wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water for 15 to 20 minutes before seeking medical treatment. This simple step can significantly reduce the risk of infection,” he added.
Dr Bukhari explained that not every dog carries rabies, but because it is usually impossible to determine whether an attacking dog is infected, anti-rabies vaccination is administered as a precaution. In severe injuries where tissue has been torn away or bone is exposed, patients require rabies immunoglobulin in addition to routine vaccination.
“Once rabies symptoms appear, the disease is almost always fatal. Symptoms can include fever, red eyes, fear of water, and fear of light. Patients receiving treatment are monitored closely throughout the vaccination process,” noted Dr Bukhari.
Dr Waqas Khan, spokesperson for Jinnah Hospital, revealed that between January and May 2026, 6,248 injured people were brought to Jinnah Hospital, while 10 patients died and 9,820 previously registered patients are still receiving treatment. “The hospital recorded 12,154 cases in 2022, 15,173 in 2023, 13,483 in 2024 and 12,988 in 2025, with the rising numbers reflecting Karachi’s worsening stray dog crisis,” he added.
After the Sindh High Court discouraged the poisoning of stray dogs in 2016, the Sindh government launched a Stray Dog Birth Control and Anti-Rabies Vaccination Program in 2019. Although implementation began in 2021, insufficient funding prevented the project from meeting its June 2025 deadline, forcing authorities to seek an extension.
According to an official associated with the Sindh Local Government Department’s Rabies Control Program, the Rs960 million project aims to vaccinate 150,000 stray dogs and control their reproduction through sterilization. However, inadequate funding has slowed implementation. So far, 36,916 dogs have been vaccinated against rabies and 25,525 have been neutered or spayed.
Six centers have been established in Karachi, including District Central, District South, Gulshan-e-Maymar, Baldia Town, Korangi and Orangi Town, while a center in Malir is under development. Centers have also been set up in Matiari, Dadu and Tando Allahyar, but planned facilities in several other Sindh districts are yet to be established.
“Chronic underfunding over the past five years has prevented the program from meeting its targets. With the current extension ending in June 2026, authorities are seeking more time, arguing that timely funding would help curb the stray dog population and rising rabies cases,” said the official.
News Published in Express Tribune on June 21st, 2026.
