Shortage of ‘trained doctors’ blamed for snake-bite deaths

Lack of proper training for dealing with snake-bite victims are blamed for the large number of deaths in Bangladesh every year. Many people die of snake bite as they do not get treatment in nearby hospitals and there is shortage of anti-venom injections, physicians and experts told The Independent recently. In many cases, while snake-bite victims in the rural areas go to upazila or district hospitals, doctors usually refer them to a city hospital on the plea of non-availability of anti-venom injections and ICU support, and patients mostly die on the way to the city hospital.

Experts and doctors, however, say there is no shortage of anti-venom injections, but hospitals in rural areas do not collect these as they do not have trained doctors and ICU facilities. They usually refer the cases to hospital in cities like Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).

Experts recommend building of proper facilities in remote areas, so that a snake-bite victim can reach a local specialised centre and get anti-venom injection and ICU support. They also put emphasis on the need to provide training to doctors at upazila and district level hospitals, and creating awareness among the people to reduce snake-bite deaths skillfully.

A study conducted by the Toxicological Society of Bangladesh (TSB) finds that about 7,00,000 people are bitten by snakes across the country each year and 6,000 of them die. Snake-bite victims are hardly given anti-venom injections.

The survey was carried out in 2010 and there is not latest data on snake-bite victims across the country, a TSB source said.

Dr Md Robed Amin, general secretary of the TSB, said about 80 per cent of the snake bites are non-venomous, while about 10 per cent are venomous.

He claimed that modern treatment for snake-bite and anti-venom injections are available and given free of cost.

Robed, also an associate professor of Dhaka Medical College, however, said that since many doctors in rural areas have no experience and training to treat snake-bite victims, they refer the cases to medical college hospitals.

“Since they (rural doctors) have no experience, they do not take the risk to treat snake-bite victims,” he added.

Dr Robeb said a national guideline was formulated this year and there is also a venom research centre, but the government's training programme for doctors remains stopped.

Replying to a question, he said they treated 25-26 snake-bite victims last year. Of them, about 20 survived and only 4-5 died.

Dr Khan Abul Kalam Azad, principal of Dhaka Medical College, suggested establishing of pilot hospitals in rural areas under civil surgeons provided with trained doctors and a

sufficient quantity of anti-venom injections. The hospital will need ICU support as a snake-bite victim may die due to falling of breathing for anaphylaxis, he said. Dr Azad, also head of the Department of Medicine of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), also suggested that a national plan should be drawn up to ensure treatment of snake-bite victims in rural areas.

He advised people to take snake-bite victims to the nearest hospital as soon as possible, instead of going to an ‘ozha’ for traditional treatment. He said 15 snake-bite victims came to DMCH in the last seven and a half months, and two of them were given anti-venom injections. Talking to The Independent, Civil Surgeon of Narayanganj Dr Imtiaz said anti-venom injections are available in all government hospitals in the district, but doctors do not use them as they fear that side-effects may develop and the victim may die. He put emphasis on the need to provide training to doctors and create awareness among people.

Shortage of trained doctors blamed for snake-bite deaths

Lack of proper training for dealing with snake-bite victims are blamed for the large number of deaths in Bangladesh every year. Many people die of snake bite as they do not get treatment in nearby hospitals and there is shortage of anti-venom injections, physicians and experts told The Independent recently. In many cases, while snake-bite victims in the rural areas go to upazila or district hospitals, doctors usually refer them to a city hospital on the plea of non-availability of anti-venom injections and ICU support, and patients mostly die on the way to the city hospital. Experts and doctors, however, say there is no shortage of anti-venom injections, but hospitals in rural areas do not collect these as they do not have trained doctors and ICU facilities. They usually refer the cases to hospital in cities like Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH). Experts recommend building of proper facilities in remote areas, so that a snake-bite victim can reach a local specialised centre and get anti-venom injection and ICU support. They also put emphasis on the need to provide training to doctors at upazila and district level hospitals, and creating awareness among the people to reduce snake-bite deaths skillfully. A study conducted by the Toxicological Society of Bangladesh (TSB) finds that about 7,00,000 people are bitten by snakes across the country each year and 6,000 of them die. Snake-bite victims are hardly given anti-venom injections. The survey was carried out in 2010 and there is not latest data on snake-bite victims across the country, a TSB source said. Dr Md Robed Amin, general secretary of the TSB, said about 80 per cent of the snake bites are non-venomous, while about 10 per cent are venomous. He claimed that modern treatment for snake-bite and anti-venom injections are available and given free of cost. Robed, also an associate professor of Dhaka Medical College, however, said that since many doctors in rural areas have no experience and training to treat snake-bite victims, they refer the cases to medical college hospitals. Since they (rural doctors) have no experience, they do not take the risk to treat snake-bite victims, he added. Dr Robeb said a national guideline was formulated this year and there is also a venom research centre, but the governments training programme for doctors remains stopped. Replying to a question, he said they treated 25-26 snake-bite victims last year. Of them, about 20 survived and only 4-5 died. Dr Khan Abul Kalam Azad, principal of Dhaka Medical College, suggested establishing of pilot hospitals in rural areas under civil surgeons provided with trained doctors and a sufficient quantity of anti-venom injections. The hospital will need ICU support as a snake-bite victim may die due to falling of breathing for anaphylaxis, he said. Dr Azad, also head of the Department of Medicine of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), also suggested that a national plan should be drawn up to ensure treatment of snake-bite victims in rural areas. He advised people to take snake-bite victims to the nearest hospital as soon as possible, instead of going to an ozha for traditional treatment. He said 15 snake-bite victims came to DMCH in the last seven and a half months, and two of them were given anti-venom injections. Talking to The Independent, Civil Surgeon of Narayanganj Dr Imtiaz said anti-venom injections are available in all government hospitals in the district, but doctors do not use them as they fear that side-effects may develop and the victim may die. He put emphasis on the need to provide training to doctors and create awareness among people.