Rourkela: Snakebite is a known hazard in Rourkela region resulting in loss of lives, chronic physical disability, enormous suffering, and premature deaths. The Steel City experiences extreme tropical weather. Besides, it has a unique terrain surrounded by hills and rivers, rich in flora and fauna. All these factors lead to an increased probability of human-snake encounters here. This year there have been 92 cases of snakebite so far resulting in five deaths. “Given the total number of snakebite cases, the death rate is very low and this is very heartening. This is due to the quick medical attention the victims are receiving,” said the medical staff at Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH). RGH has received the maximum number of snakebite cases. It received eight patients in the month of April. “This is the time when we start receiving snakebite cases,” informed the director of RGH Santosh K Swain. In the month of May, the number was six with no death, followed by 22 cases in the month of June with two deaths and 33 in the month of July resulting in three casualties. The total comes to 69 instances in RGH alone, of which the maximum number of patients were males (48) and the rest were females.
Similarly, the data available from Ispat General Hospital (IGH) of Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) says the total number of cases received so far is 26. And there are no reported cases of death there. The August data were not compiled in both hospitals. “The snakebite cases start appearing from the month of April with the onset of summer and continue till October, when the rains finally stop,” said chief pharmacist Jaydev Mohanty of RGH. He added, “There were maximum numbers of cobra bite cases and then ‘chiti’ or kraits as far as we can ascertain from the bite marks.” Snakebite victims come to RGH from every nook and corner of Sundargarh district and Giridih and other nearby places of Jharkhand. The heartening fact is the less number of deaths. “This is happening because of the awareness being created by the government to prevent snakebite deaths.
People are now aware that antivenom is the only cure against snakebites, not the blind acts of black magic,” said the director. At IGH, eight critical cases were treated in the intensive care unit. “We have sufficient stock of anti-venom to treat these cases. At least no one will suffer from the non-availability of antivenom,” said the head pharmacist of RGH. And the case is the same with IGH where anti-venom is available in sufficient numbers to meet any emergency, informed a doctor there.