Most hospitals in Chandpur don’t have anti-venom

Chandpur Correspondent

Chandpur is a district surrounded by rivers. But most government hospitals here don’t have anti-venom. With the onset of monsoon, the incidents of snakebites increase in the district. As a result, people’s lives are at risk for lack of anti-venom in the local hospitals.

In the last four months, two housewives died from snakebites and 300 others were injured. Although there are meagre anti-venom at seven upazila health complexes outside the district town, most other hospitals don’t have it.

According to the information provided by the District Civil Surgeon’s Office, from January to May, a total of 298 injured people including 123 in Matlab North, 44 in Matlab South, 36 in Faridganj, 43 in Hajiganj, 18 in Haimchar, 5 in Kachua, and 29 in Shahrasti upazilas, took treatment at the hospitals.

Recently, there has been an increase in the number of snakes on the roads and in the bushes. The common people are panicking due to the high incidents of snakebites. The victims’ families and local residents demand that it has become necessary to provide emergency medical care to snakebite patients and keep adequate anti-venom at the upazila level.

Doctors claim that there is not enough snake anti-venom at the upazila level, and say that if anybody gets bitten by a snake, he should rush to the hospital instead of going to the shaman. After examining whether it is a poisonous snakebite or not, then anti-venom should be applied. Ninety-five percent of the snakebites are non-venomous.

Hajiganj Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer (UHFPO) Dr Ahmed Tanvir Hasan said, “In the last two months, 35 snakebite patients came to the hospital. Out of these, one patient was bitten by a poisonous snake and was given anti-venom. However, there is less anti-venom than the snakebite patients at this time. Higher authorities have been informed to provide anti-venom.”

Kachua UHFPO Dr Zahid Hossain said, “There is not enough anti-venom for snakebite patients in Kachua. However, the list has been sent as per the demand, and it may be fulfilled very soon.”

However, District Civil Surgeon Dr Noor Alam Deen said, “Snakebites occur throughout the year, but the nuisance has increased during this monsoon. Many people die every year due to snakebites. The government has ordered to keep adequate stock of anti-venom in every upazila health complex. Necessary measures will be taken if the demand is sent from the upazila health complexes.”