Snakebites Claim 32 Lives in Assam from April to December 2024

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: Snakebites claimed as many as 32 people from April to December 2024 in Assam. Health Minister Ashok Singhal informed the Assam Assembly of this today.

The department will impart training to doctors and other staff of primary health centres based on caseload and the possibility of snakebites, the minister said. “We can’t provide anti-snake venom (ASV) to every primary health centre, as the application of ASV often reports fatal side effects, needing immediate admission into ICU (intensive care unit) and ventilation support. Most of the primary health centres do not have such facilities in their nearest hospitals. Taking all such issues into consideration, we’ll start treatment of snakebites in the primary health centres,” he said.

The minister further said that there is no dearth of ASVs at the district level.

The state government has prepared a roadmap to achieve zero deaths due to snakebites by 2025-26, besides publishing a specific SOP (standard operating procedure) that is in sync with the existing national guidelines in snakebite management. The SOP has incorporation based on various studies on Assam’s venomous snakes and clinical data of around 5,000 snakebite patients from various district hospitals, community hospitals, primary health centres, etc.

According to snakebite treatment specialist and anaesthesiologist Dr. Surajit Giri, comprehensive care is most important. Comprehensive care is planned, coordinated, preventive, promotive, curative, mental, and socio-economic care for snakebite victims. He suggested that all government hospitals should have a dedicated snakebite room adjacent to the emergency department, and victims should be approached as acute medical emergencies like victims of accidents. ASV and other logistic supports should be made available up to community health centre levels, and the public should visit the nearest rural hospitals instead of rushing to faith healers.

The Demow Community Health Centre (CHC) is a model health centre for the treatment of snakebite patients. In 2018, Dr. Giri started a model focusing on all components of snakebite management. The CHC formed a non-breakable chain from community to hospital. For any snakebite incident, the victim or family members should report to the local VRT (Venom Response Team). The VRT will provide pre-hospital management. They will communicate and activate the Demow CHC. This means that before the patient reaches the hospital, the hospital staff are aware of the incident. This PHC achieved a zero-snakebite-death record from 2021 to 2024 when it treated over 2,000 snakebite cases.

Sometimes, VRT uploads a photo of the snake or bitten limb in WhatsApp. Within 20 minutes to an hour, the victim reaches the hospital, and the staff treats early signs and symptoms with ASV, neostigmine, and glycopyrrolate. If needed, patients are admitted to ICUs in the nearby hospital.

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