BAHAWALNAGAR: South Punjab health director general has directed the district health authority (DHA) to conduct a probe into an alleged incident reported in a social media post by the family of a toddler bitten by stray dogs, alleging they were forced to buy anti-rabies vaccine (ARV) from the market at an exorbitant price after being denied the same by the staff at the district headquarters (DHQ) hospital.
According to the social media post, two-year-old Faizan Ali of Landi Wazirka village was transported to the Bahawalnagar DHQ Hospital in critical condition by his father Akram, after he was bitten by a pack of stray dogs on March 24.
The post alleged that despite repeated requests to the hospital medical superintendent (MS) and paramedics, the child was not administered the ARV for three days.
It also alleged that the hospital staff demanded bribe from the child’s family for providing the vaccine.
When the child’s condition deteriorated, the family gathered money and purchased the vaccine from the market for Rs168,000, it claimed.
Taking notice of the alleged incident,the DHA CEO formed a three-member committee, headed by the district health officer (DHO) on April 4 to probe into the matter. The committee has yet to submit its findings.
On April 8, the south Punjab health director general (DG) directed the CEO to conduct a transparent investigation into the incident and submit its report with documented evidence within 24 hours.
The DG’s letter, a copy of which is available with Dawn, refers to the social media post and says that allegations against hospital staff, such as not vaccinating children and demanding money from families for vaccines were unacceptable.
The letter asks the CEO to immediately constitute a committee to probe into the incident, adding that it should also include the child’s attendants/parents.
The letter further states that the investigation committee should examine the status of the availability of the ARV in the hospital at the time of the occurrence, as well as corroborate the assertion that ARV was not accessible.
It says that the inquiry report should include the circumstances that forced the attendants to purchase the vaccine from the market, as well as the details of the complete treatment given to the patient, along with documentary evidence. It should also identify the staffers responsible for the lapses, if any, the letter adds.
Inquiry Officer DHO Dr Safiullah claimed while speaking to Dawn that the patient was given ARV in the hospital, while an investigation was underway into alleged denial of a second shot of rabies vaccine — human immunoglobulin (HI) — which the family alleges they had to buy from the market.
Meanwhile, health department sources say that due to the child’s serious condition, the duty medical officer suggested that the patient should be administers HI rather than standard ARV, which was not available at the hospital.
They say that the HI is rarely administered to patients and is exclusively available in a few teaching hospitals in the province.
The sources say that the family procured HI from the market and had the child immunised at a private clinic.
Meanwhile, Health CEO Dr Shaukat Ali claims that ARV is available at all health outlets across the district, including the DHQ hospital. He says that due to rare usage, the HI vaccination is not available at the DHQ.
He claims that there is no indication that the family had the child vaccinated with the HI acquired from the market. He states that the infant received ARV in the hospital, “which is supported by video footage.”
He further states that the family’s claim that they acquired the HI vaccination for Rs168,000 will be probed as the said vaccine is available in the market for Rs19,000.
Meanwhile, a pack of stray dogs attacked goats grazing in the fields at Azam Chhina village, leaving more than six animals injured.
The rising incidents of dog bite have also been highlighted through another CCTV video surfacing on social media showing three stray dogs pursuing and attacking a boy.
According to social media users, the CCTV clip is of Madni Colony, a neighborhood of Bahawalnagar, where a boy was bitten by stray dogs while returning home from a seminary.
According to locals, despite repeated complaints and demonstrations, no action has so far been taken by the administration to resolve the issue.
Published in Dawn, April 9th, 2026.
