A tragic incident has shaken the medical community in Meghalaya, as 32-year-old nurse Gracetyfull Marngar succumbed to rabies on Monday at Civil Hospital Shillong. The cause of death was a bite from stray puppies two months ago.

According to Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh, Marngar, a Mid-Level Health Provider at Tynghor Health Sub Centre in West Khasi Hills District, had not received anti-rabies vaccination after the bite. Despite weeks of treatment at Civil Hospital Shillong, Marngar developed severe rabies symptoms and could not be saved.

Minister Lyngdoh confirmed the case on Tuesday, September 17, and announced the government’s proposal to make anti-rabies vaccines more accessible, even at the sub-centre level. This move aims to prevent similar fatalities in the future.

Marngar’s death highlights the critical importance of immediate vaccination following exposure to rabies. The incident has left her husband and their one-year-old child bereaved. Her funeral will take place on Wednesday, September 18, at the Catholic Church Cemetery in Laitkseh, West Khasi Hills.

The Meghalaya government’s response to this tragedy is expected to strengthen the state’s healthcare infrastructure and prevent such heartbreaking losses in the future.