With the onset of monsoon, the number of snake bite cases in the capital city has increased. The snakes venture out from their burrows during this period of time as water inundates their habitat and are a threat to the people.
The emergency ward of Doon hospital, the biggest hospital of the State, is witnessing two to three snake bite cases everyday. Emergency Medical officer Dr N Bedi told The Pioneer that the treatment of snake bite victims is based on symptoms.
The anti-venom is needed to be administered to such victims and the quantity of the anti-venom depends on the variety of snake which had attacked the human being.
In many cases the victim needs to be put on life support system. It is learnt that many times due to non availability of ventilators the doctors are forced to send such patients to other hospitals. The emergency ward of the hospital is equipped with only four ventilators. One such case came to the notice of The Pioneer in which 12 year old son of a salesman at a petrol pump of the city was bitten by a venous snake last week. The worried family took the boy to the Doon hospital where due to non availability of the ventilator the doctors advised him to take the boy to other hospital. The boy was taken to a private hospital where the poor parents had to shell out `20,000 for his treatment.
When contacted the senior EMO of Doon hospital Dr Rahul Joshi said that the most of the cases which are coming to the hospital, are from the outskirts of the city. He said that the snake bite victims should be immediately rushed to the hospital. While being taken to the hospital, the snake bite victim should be asked not to panic and efforts should be made to restrict the flow of blood from the affected area to other parts.
Dr Joshi advised that people should not venture barefooted during nights and should necessarily carry a torch with them. He said that when confronted with the snake, people should not disturb or incite it. Dr Joshi said that shrubs and other vegetative growth around the houses should be removed as a preventive measure.
The District Pharmacy officer S S Chauhan told The Pioneer that the hospital have adequate quantity of anti venom in stock. He revealed that 25 vials of anti venom are always kept ready in the emergency ward of the hospital.