First rabies death in Khammam

KHAMMAM: The first rabies death was reported in Khammam rural mandal on Sunday.Seven other children of four villages were also bitten by dogs. Challa Balu (11) of Danavaigudem who was bitten by a dog on May 2, was admitted to a private hospital here on Saturday. He died while undergoing treatment. His parents Narasimha and Savitramma, who are daily wage earners, alleged that they lost their son due to negligence of government hospital doctors.Balu, a seventh class dropout, was bitten by the dog while he was taking lunch to his father working in the fields. His mother Savitramma took the boy to government area hospital in Khammam the same day.But RMO Dr Shobhadevi reportedly asked them to go to their area hospital. Later, they went to Khammam urban health centre where the staff referred the case to Tirumalayapalem health centre who advised Savitramma to go to Venkatayapalem, where Balu was finally administered antirabies vaccine. But by then, hydrophobia was in an advance stage.