A teenager named Md Rafsan Sheikh, 16, has died of snakebite in Boalmari, Faridpur. He reportedly died because, instead of being taken to hospital in time, his family tried to cure him through the incantations of an ojha, a traditional faith healer.
He died at around 4:30am on the night following Saturday, 27 June, on the way to Faridpur Medical College Hospital. Rafsan Sheikh was the son of Md Liton Sheikh of Amrita Nagar Charpara village in Gunbaha union of the upazila.
Hours lost to the faith healer
According to local and family sources, Rafsan went to the toilet at around 9pm on Saturday night and was bitten by a snake on his way back. His family brought in an ojha named Kanu Mina from Goailbari in neighbouring Ghoshpur union, who tried to cure him with incantations. When his condition worsened at around 4am, he was first taken to the Boalmari Upazila Health Complex. He died at dawn on the way to Faridpur Medical College Hospital.
Local union parishad member Enayet Hossain said Rafsan had also been bitten by a snake on the bank of their pond 15 days earlier. On that occasion the ojha Kanu Mina was brought in and Rafsan recovered after his incantations. When he was bitten again on Saturday night, the family again tried to cure him through the same ojha, and he died towards dawn.
Family refused antivenom
Dr K M Mahmud Rahman, resident medical officer (RMO) of the Boalmari Upazila Health Complex, told Jago News that the boy was brought to the hospital in a critical condition at around 4am, when Dr Sumon Roy was on duty. After examining him, the doctor explained in detail the use of antivenom for snakebite patients. But when the family refused to allow antivenom, they were advised, with their consent, to go to Faridpur Medical College Hospital. He said he later learned that the boy had died towards dawn on the way there.
Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.
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