A report published nationally on 29 October, headlined "Isad didn't get antivenom even though it was there, lost his life on the way", has come to the attention of the National Human Rights Commission. The commission said the allegation that a patient died without treatment despite adequate antivenom being available at the health complex is deeply tragic and heartbreaking. It has taken suo motu notice of the incident.

This was stated in a press release signed by the commission's public relations officer, Yusha Rahman, on Wednesday (30 October).

Commission chairman Dr Kamal Uddin Ahmed said access to healthcare is a fundamental human right, and if it is disrupted by any negligence or mismanagement, that is a violation of human rights. The incident is deeply heartbreaking and the authorities cannot in any way escape responsibility, he said.

Citing a report published in a daily newspaper, the suo motu notice says a speech-impaired schoolchild bitten by a venomous snake was taken to Kasba upazila health complex. Instead of being given antivenom there, he was sent on to Cumilla Medical College Hospital. Ten-year-old Isad Bhuiyan died on the way.

Isad was the son of Amin Bhuiyan, who has an intellectual disability, of Paniarup village in Kayempur union of the upazila. On 27 October a venomous snake bit him while he was playing near his home. After he screamed and cried, family members found a wound on his leg, and seeing two marks they realised he had been bitten by a snake.

They said he was taken to the upazila health complex at around 2pm, but staff on duty in the emergency department said there was no antivenom. Without giving treatment or entering his name in the register, they told the family to go to Cumilla. No antivenom could be found in Kasba's pharmacies either.

Upazila health and family planning officer Dr Nizam Uddin, however, said the health complex has adequate antivenom. Dr Akib Ikram, who was on duty that day, said the same. According to him, he was at home having lunch at the time, and was not told by the emergency department whether a snakebite patient had come in.

The suo motu notice says the absence of Dr Akib Ikram, the doctor on duty in the emergency department of Kasba upazila health complex named in the report, is in no way acceptable. The on-duty doctor and others concerned at the upazila health complex cannot in any way escape responsibility for the death of Isad Bhuiyan without antivenom. Deaths of snakebite patients in rural areas are often reported during and after the monsoon, along with the lack of antivenom at upazila health complexes. Although snakebites mostly happen in rural areas, the unavailability of antivenom there is unacceptable, it says.

The commission has therefore asked for an investigation and action against Dr Akib Ikram and others concerned at Kasba upazila health complex. It has also asked the secretary of the Health Services Division to take the steps needed to ensure antivenom and treatment are available at every upazila health complex in the country to prevent a repeat of such incidents.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.