The Rabies Vaccine Production Laboratory of the Animal Health Directorate looks set to make Nepal self-dependent in the rabies vaccine for humans as well as animals. It has completed production of the ninth batch of the vaccine. It will be sent to public hospitals for human trials after receiving approval for its 10th batch from the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The vaccine has to be approved by WHO's laboratory in France before sent for trials. “We have already completed the ninth batch of production. We will send samples to the WHO after getting the report of the eighth batch,” a consultant at the laboratory, has said. He was bullish about WHO approval for even the ninth batch. “We have used the latest reagents and kits recommended by the WHO, and we have been careful about quality control.” The government purchases 2,00,000 vials of rabies vaccines every year.
