Snakebite patients in Thakurgaon are dying without treatment because the district's hospitals have no antivenom. For lack of it, three people have died of venomous snakebites in the district in July alone, and those concerned believe the number could rise unless supplies arrive quickly.

In May, a primary school head teacher died at Thakurgaon Sadar Hospital for want of treatment because there was no antivenom there. After the death was reported in the media, the Sadar Hospital arranged supplies at short notice. But the upazila health complexes took no steps to obtain antivenom even after that incident.

On Sunday (9 July), Pramila Rani (47), wife of the late Kheldar Chandra of Raja Dighi village in Geddura union of Haripur upazila, and Chapoa Ram (40) of Dhumpukur village in Dharmagarh union of Ranisankail upazila died of snakebites on the same day. Earlier, on 2 July, Miraj (32), son of Karimul Chowdhury of the Harinmari area of Baliadangi, died after being bitten by a snake.

Their families and local people allege that they died because the health complexes of these two border upazilas had no antivenom.

Tarikul Islam, chairman of Geddura union parishad in Haripur, said that with no antivenom in the upazila, snakebite patients are going to traditional healers (ojha). As a result, residents of these areas are not getting modern treatment, and people are dying for lack of care.

Abdullah Al Mamun, a journalist in Baliadangi upazila, said the upazila health complex has had no antivenom for about eight months. Yet in this farming area many people are bitten by snakes in their fields, and the number rises in the monsoon. He said it was hard to understand the reluctance to supply the health complexes, adding that the government spends crores of taka on healthcare but ordinary people are not benefiting.

Dr Ainal Haque, health officer of the Ranisankail upazila health complex, told Jagonews: "We used to have a supply of antivenom. We have not received supplies because of some problems in between. Antivenom will be brought in soon."

Acknowledging the shortage, district civil surgeon Dr Nur Newaz Ahmed said: "I am aware that the hospitals in Thakurgaon have no snake antivenom. I have repeatedly urged the heads of Thakurgaon Sadar Hospital and the upazila health complexes. If they do not buy it, the responsibility is theirs."

He said the government was sending all its antivenom to the south of the country, where the shortage is greater. "But I do not understand why Thakurgaon's health complexes are not buying antivenom on their own initiative, because the government has given them money and the authority to use it for necessary work."

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