A snake-bit couple died at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) during treatment around 9:00 am on Friday morning. Earlier, around 2-00 am, they were bitten by snake.
The couple have been identified as Nur Islam 30, and his wife Mousumi Khatun, 26, of village Ramcharanpur under Mohadevpur upazila of Naogaon district. It is learnt, Sirajul Islam, father of Nur Islam, was also killed in snakebite 29 days ago.
Villagers and relatives of deceased Nur and Mousumi also caught a snake from their house and brought it to RMCH. Belel Hossain, Emergency Medical Officer of RMCH identified the snake as Common Crait and informed the poison of this snake was four time stronger or venomous than a cobra.
Abdur Rahim, uncle of Nur informed, on early Friday Nur and Mousumi were sleeping on the cot at the house when the snake entered into the mosquito curtain and bit them. After awakening by being beaten, they watched the snake inside the curtain and caught the snake with a net. Both of them were rushed to Mohadevpur Health Complex but there having no vaccine for treatment of snake bit patients, they were sent to RMCH at 6:00 am on Friday and anti-venom was applied to them but being late to push the anti-venom, both of them died around 9:00 am.
Abdur Rahim further said, Sirajul Islam, father of Nur, was also killed in snakebite 29 days ago. He was not even got time to reach the hospital and even after sending Nur and Sheuli to hospital, they could not be saved. He complained, had there the anti-venom at Mohadevpur Hospital, Nur and Mousumi might be saved.
Belal Hossain of RMCH also opined that due to loss of time in travelling Rajshahi from Mohadevpur in Naogaon, Nur and Mousumi could not be saved. Had the anti-venom be applied in due time, they would have been saved.
Dr. AH Akhteruzzaman, Health and Family Planning Officer of Mohadevpur Upazila informed, there was no supply of anti-venom for snakebite patients at the upazila level and it was not possible to give primary treatment of a snakebite patient without anti-venom.
