There is not enough antivenom for snakebite patients in Moulvibazar. Even when upazila health complexes do have stocks, the antivenom often cannot be used for lack of doctors. Patients then have to travel to district and divisional hospitals for treatment, which raises the risk of death.

An analysis of hospital admission data for snakebite patients at the civil surgeon's office shows that 410 people were bitten by snakes in the 10 months from January to October. Only 21 of them were given antivenom.

On average about 40 snakebite patients a month were admitted to upazila health complexes in the district this year, but these hospitals do not have enough antivenom for the number of patients.

According to the civil surgeon's office, 410 snakebite patients were admitted to government hospitals in the district this year and 21 of them received antivenom. The district has only 90 vials in stock. Each health complex is supposed to keep 20 vials, but many hospitals keep 10. Because antivenom is expensive, it cannot be bought in bulk at once; the same source also says antivenom can now be bought according to demand. Moulvibazar Sadar Hospital also has far less than it needs. By that count the district holds only 22 per cent of the vials it needs.

In an earlier case, on 23 October, a 25-year-old tea worker named Madhabi Mirdha was seriously injured by a venomous green pit viper while plucking tea leaves at Phulbari tea garden in Sadar union of Kamalganj upazila. She was taken to Kamalganj Upazila Health Complex. It is alleged that the hospital kept her waiting for about an hour after she arrived, but did not give antivenom because of the consultant and a somewhat complicated treatment procedure.

Doctors at upazila health complexes across the district say there is a set procedure for giving antivenom. The patient must first be tested to see whether the snake was venomous, which takes about 30-40 minutes. After that, only doctors trained to administer antivenom can give it. Many patients arrive thinking a single injection will do.

Moulvibazar Civil Surgeon Dr Md Mamunur Rahman said every upazila health complex had antivenom for snakebite patients, but less than was needed. "We can buy enough if we want. Because it is expensive, many do not keep large stocks. But we have told every hospital to always keep vials ready for at least two patients. In the past antivenom sometimes could not be given because there was no consultant at the hospital, but now training is given online."

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