An acute shortage of anti-rabies vaccines has gripped provincial hospitals across the Bagmati province, leaving patients vulnerable and forcing many to seek expensive treatment at private health facilities. The crisis stems from a total depletion of stocks at the Provincial Health Logistics Management Centre in Hetauda.

The shortage has crippled services at the Hetauda Hospital, provincial hospitals and health centres across all 13 districts in Bagmati province. Ishwar Mahara, an official at the Provincial Health Logistics Management Centre’s vaccination branch, confirmed that supplies have been precarious for months. "We are receiving urgent requests from every district, but we simply have no stock left to distribute," said Mahara.

For the current fiscal year of 2025-26, the federal Ministry of Health allocated only 15,000 vials of anti-rabies vaccines to Bagmati province. Combined with a small carry-over from the previous year, these stocks lasted until January. However, with the province requiring approximately 10,000 vials monthly, the supply has failed to meet the soaring demand.

The crisis highlights a recurring systemic failure. Under current regulations, the authority to procure vaccines rests primarily with the federal government. Provincial authorities blame federal delays for stock-outs of essential medicines behind the chronic shortages of anti-rabies vaccines almost each year.

To mitigate the immediate risk, Hetauda Hospital recently spent Rs1 million from its internal budget to purchase anti-rabies vaccines. "We have initiated a further procurement of 200 vials costing another Rs1 million, but it will take several days for the shipment to arrive," said Utsav Chaulagain, the hospital's spokesperson.

Currently, patients unable to access free vaccines at state facilities must pay up to Rs675 per dose at private pharmacies. A full course requires three to five doses, posing a significant financial burden on low-income families.

Acknowledging the lapse, Bagmati Health Minister Kiran Thapa admitted that relying solely on federal supplies caused the crisis. "We cannot wait any longer. We will now call for an immediate tender to ensure a steady supply," he assured. Medical professionals warn that rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, making timely vaccination a matter of life and death. Authorities are now under intense pressure to decentralise procurement to prevent future life-threatening shortages.