A five-year-old boy, Abdul Alim, has died after what was reported as a snakebite in Ramganj, Lakshmipur. He died on the afternoon of Tuesday, 12 August, while being taken to Cumilla Medical College Hospital.
His mother, Mohima Akter, alleges that Alim died because the doctor at the upazila health complex did not give him antivenom.
His family says a snake bit Alim at around noon at the Kalchama Chowkidar Bari home in ward 4 of Ramganj municipality.
The family's account
Alim's mother Mohima and his maternal uncle Rasel Sheikh said Alim had come home from madrasa and was playing at the door when he suddenly screamed. His mother came running and saw a snake bite him and slip into a nearby hole. He was taken straight to the upazila health complex, where Dr Farzana Eti told Mohima the hospital had no antivenom and told her to take him quickly to Cumilla Medical College Hospital. The child died on the way.
"It is hard for us to believe that the upazila health complex has no antivenom for snakebite patients. Perhaps the valuable antivenom is sold elsewhere instead of being given to patients. We want the health department to intervene," said his uncle, Md Rasel Sheikh.
The doctor's account
The duty doctor, Farzana Eti, said the child was brought to hospital after 12 noon, but his mother could not say whether he had been bitten by a snake or a frog. "When I became suspicious, I tested his blood and got a negative result. When I also told the child's relatives that antivenom could have side effects such as reduced breathing, they said they wanted him treated elsewhere. So he was sent to Cumilla Medical College in a government ambulance. Their allegation is not true. Why would we not give antivenom when we have it?"
Ramganj upazila health and family planning officer Anwar Hossain said this should not have happened. "The antivenom at our hospital is enough to treat four patients. Even when a patient must be referred elsewhere, antivenom has to be given before referral. Why the doctor did not give antivenom is being looked into," he said.
Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.
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