Jagatsinghpur: Non-availability of anti-rabies vaccines for treatment of canine bite sparked protests on Tuesday at the district headquarters hospital with an irate mob staging a sit-in in front of the health institute.

Relatives of dog-bite victims were seen pleading for the drug as the hospital exhausted its stock.

While canines continue to terrorise the district, health authorities expressed helplessness and described the situation as "precarious".

"We do not have a single dose of the vaccine. The last stock was exhausted on Monday. We had anticipated this sort of crisis and written to the government agencies for supply in advance. But the order for supply is yet to be met," said chief district medical officer Maheswar Pradhan.

Records suggest that at least 50 people suffer stray dog bites daily across the district.

The headquarters hospital, empowered to provide anti-rabies vaccine to dog-bite victims, draws people from all parts of the district, he said.

"We have requested the higher authorities for the supply at the earliest following rising incidents of dog bites. We have also requested the authorities to permit us to procure the vaccines from the open market. The cost of each vaccine dose is Rs 350. We require Rs 20,000 daily to cater to the victims. We are ready to procure the vaccine and we are ready from the Rogi Kalyan Samity funds if the health department allows us to do so," he added.

"A stray dog bit my 10-year-old son and I rushed him to the hospital. But he could not be vaccinated. The vaccine is not available in the open market as well. I will be forced to take him to the medical college hospital on Wednesday if the headquarters hospital fails to provide the drug," said Kujang resident Sakuntala Biswal.