Manjula, a nine-year-old girl of Balijhor village under Raighar block in Nabarangpur district who has been suffering from agonising pain after being bitten by a cobra, was admitted to the SCB Hospital in Cuttack on Wednesday.
Manjula was shifted to the SCB from the Koraput District Headquarters Hospital.A team of doctors from the surgery, plastic surgery and cardiothoracic departments would treat the girl, informed SCB Emergency Officer Dr Bhubanananda Moharana.
“All efforts will be given to save the girl’s right hand, which has been decaying since the snakebite,” he said, adding, “As per a directive of the State Government, Manjula will be provided treatment free of cost.” Manjula had been bitten by the cobra while she was playing near her house a month back. Manjula’s father Sunadhar took her for treatment at the Umarkote CHC, Nabarangpur and later to the Koraput DHH, where doctors advised the family to get the girl admitted to the MKCG Hospital in Brahmapur. However, the poor family could not afford treatment.
Interestingly, since Manjula was bitten, her father caught and kept the cobra in a basket hoping that his act would get his daughter cured. On Wednesday, however, the cobra was released by forest officials into a jungle.