With the onset of monsoon in Pabna, poisonous snakes have infested houses and char areas. During the coronavirus period, the infestation of snakes has created another panic among the people.
Russell’s viper, one of the rarest species of venomous snakes in the world, is also seen regularly. 15 people died in a year in the district, including 3 people last week.
But there is no antidote for snake venom in any government hospitals of the district. This corona disaster has become a cause for concern at the moment due to the infestation of snake.
In just one week, Hossain Ali, a seventh-grade student in Ishwardi, Pabna, Asmal Hossain, a fifth-grade student, and Rufia Khatun, a housewife in Chatmohar, died of snake bites.
If the patient is taken to a government hospital after being bitten by a snake, there is no treatment available. There is no antidote for the treatment of snake bite patients in any government hospital in Pabna.
Although transferred to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, it is often not possible to save the patient due to untimely treatment.
Locals recovered more than a hundred cobra snakes and more than fifty snake eggs from the house of Abdul Mannan of Rangalia village in Par-Bhangura union of Pabna's Bhangura upazila on Friday afternoon.
Shariful Islam, a UP member from Rangalia village, confirmed the incident and said that the incident has spread fear among locals.
Meanwhile, Russell’s viper, one of the rare venomous species of snake in the world, is found in Dogachhi of Pabna Sadar Upazila and Pakshir Padma Char of Ishwardi Upazila. Locals killed two Russell’s viper snakes for attacking a housewife. One of the Russell’s viper snake has been kept at Pabna Medical College.
Pabna Medical College Assistant Professor Dr Kazi Muhiuddin said that recently a woman from Char area was bitten by a snake. The locals killed the snake and brought the patient and the dead snake with them to Pabna General Hospital.
After being admitted there for three days, the woman returned home after treatment.
Pabna Civil Surgeon Dr Mehedi Iqbal said it is very important to have antidote for the treatment of snake bite patients at district or upazila level. He said that if the snake-bitten patient could not be treated at the right time, the patient's life would be in danger.
That is why if a snakebite patient is given antidote in a short time, that patient will survive. The antidote to the snake will be brought to the notice of the higher authorities.
Pabna Deputy Commissioner Kabir Mahmud said, “I will take up the issue in a meeting with the doctors at the medical center and the concerned authorities will be contacted on how to bring the antidote to the hospitals by resolving this issue in a short time.”