Despite the Rajasthan government's repeated claims of zero rabies deaths in the state over the past 18 months, the reality on the ground tells a different story. The Infectious Diseases department at Jaipur's SMS Hospital has been treating multiple confirmed rabies cases every single month, exposing a significant gap between official statistics and actual medical cases.
Hospital Data Reveals Alarming Trend
The state's largest referral hospital has become ground zero for rabies cases across Rajasthan. Medical records show that SMS Hospital treats an average of two to three clinically confirmed rabies cases every month. This startling revelation directly contradicts the state health department's official position of having no rabies fatalities.
In the current 2024-25 period alone, at least 30 patients exhibiting classic rabies symptoms have been admitted to the hospital. These patients displayed severe hydrophobia (fear of water) and aerophobia (fear of air or drafts) following animal bites - clear clinical indicators of rabies infection.
The Fatal Reality of Rabies Infection
Doctors at SMS Hospital emphasize the grim prognosis for patients who develop clinical symptoms of rabies. Once symptoms like hydrophobia and aerophobia appear, the disease becomes 100% fatal, according to medical experts. Despite receiving comprehensive medical care including intravenous hydration and palliative treatment, patients typically survive only three to four days after symptom onset.
A senior hospital official, speaking anonymously to Times of India, described the heartbreaking scenario: "These patients arrive in the emergency in an advanced stage with aggressive symptoms. We immediately shift them to the isolation ward to protect attendants, who are also given post-exposure rabies vaccination as a precaution. We can only provide supportive care; there is no cure once clinical rabies develops."
Why Government Statistics Show Zero Deaths
The discrepancy between hospital records and government statistics stems from official recording protocols. The health department recognizes rabies deaths only when confirmed through post-mortem brain sampling. However, this critical test hasn't been performed even once in Rajasthan during the last two years, meaning all rabies fatalities remain unrecorded in official government data.
This systematic failure in documentation means the true burden of rabies in Rajasthan remains hidden from public view. As the state's primary referral center, SMS Hospital receives rabies cases from across Rajasthan, giving its medical staff unique insight into the actual prevalence of the disease.
Medical professionals stress that while post-bite rabies vaccination is widely available and highly effective when administered promptly, the absence of confirmatory testing creates a false sense of security in official records. This gap between medical reality and statistical reporting could have serious implications for public health planning and disease control measures in the state.
