A teenage snakebite victim could not be given antivenom at the Nangalkot Upazila Health Complex in Cumilla because the necessary injections were not available there. The boy later died.

He was Irfan Hossain, 13, son of Shah Alam of Munshi Bari in Mairagaon village, Makrabpur union, in the upazila. He was a student in the hifz department of Feni Rashidia Madrasa.

He was buried in the family graveyard on Wednesday (18 June) after a janaza at the local primary school ground.

Locals said that on Tuesday afternoon Irfan went into Jamal Mia's fish farm next to his home, where a venomous snake bit him. When he fell ill, his family took him to the Nangalkot Upazila Health Complex. After first aid there he was referred to Cumilla Medical College Hospital, where he died while under treatment on Tuesday (17 June) night.

Irfan's family allege that he could have been saved had he received the necessary treatment at the upazila health complex. Because the injections a snakebite patient needs were not in stock, the doctor on duty referred him to Cumilla Medical College Hospital. The family say the lack of injections and the delay caused his death.

Dr Salauddin, medical officer at the upazila health complex, said Irfan was prepared for antivenom after he was brought in. However, two injections have to be given before antivenom, and as those two injections were not available, it was not possible to give him antivenom. He was then referred to Cumilla Medical College Hospital.

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