The number of snakebite patients is rising in Tangail. In the past seven months, 535 people in the district have been bitten by snakes. Of them, 72 were transferred to other hospitals for better treatment and 461 recovered and went home. Two people died of snakebite in the district during this period.

According to the Tangail civil surgeon's office, over the seven months 75 people were admitted to Tangail Medical College Hospital, 122 to the General Hospital, 64 to Kumudini Hospital in Mirzapur, 4 to Delduar upazila health complex, 21 to Dhanbari, 15 to Bhuapur, 10 to Basail, 18 to Nagarpur, 23 to Mirzapur, 98 to Sakhipur, 7 to Kalihati, 23 to Ghatail, 38 to Madhupur and 17 to Gopalpur upazila health complexes. Of them, 72 were transferred for better treatment.

In the same period, patients who recovered and went home included 73 at Tangail Medical College Hospital, 122 at the General Hospital, 64 at Kumudini Hospital, 16 at Nagarpur, 4 at Delduar, 6 at Basail, 22 at Mirzapur, 81 at Sakhipur, 4 at Kalihati, 10 at Ghatail, 12 at Bhuapur, 16 at Gopalpur, 29 at Madhupur and two at Dhanbari upazila health complex.

Two patients admitted to Tangail Medical College Hospital died during treatment: Asma Khatun, wife of Montu of Nagarpur upazila, and Aminur Rahman of Bhuapur upazila. Aminur Rahman died even though he was given an antivenom injection.

Asma Khatun's daughter Hamida Khatun said: "We admitted my mother to Tangail Medical College Hospital on 11 June this year. Right after admission, the doctor on duty wrote on a piece of paper asking us to bring antivenom quickly for the injection. When we bought it outside and brought it, the doctor gave the injection and put her on saline. She died shortly afterwards."

In the same month, Aminur Rahman of Bhuapur died while preparations were being made to give him antivenom two hours after admission. His brother-in-law Parvez said: "Two hours after admission the doctors told us there was no antivenom and advised us to buy it outside. We bought it and brought it, but Aminur Rahman could not be saved."

Parvez also alleged: "Two doctors at the hospital are involved in a syndicate over antivenom injections. Even when the hospital has antivenom, patients are told to buy it outside. Dr Shahria Rahman wrote down antivenom on a piece of paper two hours after admission and told us to bring it quickly. At the address given, we found Dr Atikur Rahman of the same hospital. The price of the antivenom was settled with him at Tk 14,000. We paid Tk 2,000 in cash and owed the remaining Tk 12,000. After we brought the injection, the doctor mixed the antivenom and declared the patient dead while it was being given."

Dr Atikur Rahman said: "I had kept two Incepta injections at a pharmacy for my own needs. I kept them to deal with whoever might face danger at any time."

Dr Abdus Kuddus, director of Tangail Medical College Hospital, said: "The hospital currently has enough antivenom. Besides, no doctor should mislead patients over antivenom."

Tangail civil surgeon Dr Foraji Muhammad Mahbubul Alam Manju said: "There are 345 doses of snakebite antivenom at 13 hospitals in the district. We hope there will be no shortage."

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