The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has confirmed that a new rabies vaccine – Chirorab – is available in South Africa as a response to the shortage of the commonly used Verorab vaccine.
The National Department of Health has procured the jab through Kahma Biotech from January, the NICD told TimesLIVE.
It said the dosing schedule for Chirorab is the same as outlined in the national and World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines for rabies pre- and post-exposure vaccination.
“Note that although the product volume per vial differs for Chirorab and Verorab, the total content of one vial constitutes a single intramuscular dose,” it added.
The NICD said public sector healthcare facilities needing Chirorab should contact their provincial pharmacy depots, while private sector providers must adhere to their own procurement procedures.
TimesLIVE article – New rabies vaccine available in South Africa amid shortage (Restricted access)
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