Cuttack: To determine whether a patient is bitten by a snake or not, a test called ‘enzyme-linked immunoassay’ is soon going to be introduced at SCB Medical College and Hospital here.
It was announced at an academic workshop organised at the SCB Medical College and Hospital auditorium by the Forensic Medicine and Toxicology (FMT) department Sunday. The workshop was attended by doctors and students from Pondicherry JIPMER Medical College, CMC Medical College in Vellore, SCB Medical College and Hospital here, AIIMS in Bhubaneswar and other medical college and hospitals in the state.
How a snakebite patient should be treated was the point of discussion at the workshop. Doctors coming from different parts of the country opined that the practice of tying a rope tightly above the body part where a snake has bitten is still prevailing in most parts of the country, mostly in rural areas. But it is wrong and should thus be avoided at any cost.
Referring to cases of snakebite patients being taken to sorcerers heard from different parts of the country, they said this practice should also be discouraged. Such patients should instead be taken to nearby hospitals.
Most importantly, it is vital to recognise the snake to confirm the fact that it is a venomous or non-venomous one. The lack of knowledge often proves fatal for snakebite patients, they maintained.
Sometimes hospitals get such snakebite patients that are actually not bitten by snakes. But the hospitals start treating them assuming them to be so.
Therefore the introduction of the ‘enzyme-linked immunoassay’ test will go a long way in detecting whether a patient is actually bitten by a snake or not.
Snake helpline secretary Subhendu Mallick laid emphasis on the first aid given to a snakebite patient. “If someone has the knowledge of snakes, s/he can easily differentiate between poisonous and nonpoisonous snakes. And once it is done, and the snake is found out to be nonpoisonous one, instantly the fear is gone,” he added.
Notably, 130 snakebite patients died alone at SCB Medical College and Hospital in 2018.
PNN
