The problem of snakebite is increasing in the Himalayan districts of Karnali. Due to the lack of treatment centers at the local level, many lives are at risk.
What you should know
21-year-old Lokendra Karki of Khandachakra Municipality-5 Karkiwada was bitten by a snake at 5 am on July 28 while he was sleeping at his house in Lasi. He screamed in fear when the snake bit him on the thir finger of his right hand. His 5-day-old wife Shanti Bista, who was sleeping in the far corner of the thatched house, came out screaming.
According to relative Hasu Karki, as soon as the snake bit him, Lokendra put his finger in his mouth. After crying at home, the neighbors came to know about Lokendra and took him to District Hospital Manm after 3 hours through the Karnali Highway, which is an uphill climb of one and a half hours. By then he was unconscious . Since there is no treatment facility for snakebite even in Manma, the doctor referred to Surkhet . While searching for an ambulance and taking him to Surkhet, Lokendra died at 4 o'clock in the evening on the border of Dailekh and Surkhet.
"It was already too late to get to the hospital from home," said Dr. who referred from the district hospital. Shubnarayan Thakur said, "Due to the condition of the house, relatives said that they could not bear the cost of the helicopter, so they were sent to the ambulance. She died on the way." Relatives tied his wrist with a rope and took him to the district hospital in an auto rickshaw. The information officer of the Health Service Office, Katak Mahat, said that the bite was caused by a green snake whose poison in the grass is reduced.
30-year-old Manichandra Chaulagai of Khadachakra-5 Dhadgaon was bitten by a poisonous snake last year. Kalpana Choulagai's wife told that Chaulagai, who raised his family by cultivating vegetables, was bitten by a snake while working in the karesabari. Manichandra was also taken to Lokendra Jhai District Hospital after being bitten by a snake. Chaulagai died in Rakam, Dailekh, 5 hours after being referred to Surkhet State Hospital from Manm.
Last year, 26-year-old Dhanprasad Acharya of Shubkalika-6 Howdy was bitten by a snake while cutting grass. Acharya's life was saved when a helicopter was called and brought to Surkhet within an hour, as it was difficult to bring patients from Howdy, which takes a whole day on foot to reach Manm. His helicopter rent was only 5 lakhs. He was cured after being treated in ICU for 15 days in Surkhet. Acharya, who was doing agricultural work in the village, complained that the Subhkalika Rural Municipality did not even pay the rent for the helicopter.
Similarly, 35-year-old Kesari Khadka of Pachaljharna-1 Siku died two years ago. Lakshmi Bogti, a local resident, said that the patient died before he was bitten by the snake when he was about to do the jharphuk. Snakebite incidents are happening every year during the rainy season in the settlements on the banks of the Karnali river, where summer is hot. Bogti said that due to the lack of nearby snakebite treatment facilities, the death of injured people bitten by poisonous snakes is increasing.
Human rights activist Kali Bahadur Malla said that even if there is no treatment even in the district hospital, some patients are bitten by snakes and are dying in the villages. In recent years, snakebite incidents have also started in the Himalayan district. MDGP of Kalikot District Hospital. Thakur said .
'There is extreme heat in the riverside area of Kalikot . There is a problem of snakebite in hot places. Cases of snakebites, which used to be sporadic, are now appearing more often, he said. He informed that among the 10 districts of Karnali, there are no snakebite treatment facilities in Surkhet. According to him, anti-snake venom is required for snakebite treatment centers with ICU, ventilator facilities.
Although it is a Himalayan district, Kalikot has a hot summer to extremely cold climate. Bhisham Prasad Pokhrel said. Pokhrel told that due to the effect of climate change, mosquitoes and poisonous snakes have started to be found in Calikot.
'Nowadays, patients who have been bitten by poisonous snakes come every month during winter. A snake treatment center is necessary in the district hospital," he said. He complains that even though the district hospital has been demanding anti-snake venom since last year, it has not been heard.
All the 9 local levels of Kalikot are hot towards the base and very cold in the upper lake . In most places, there are deaths due to snake bites every year.
Due to the lack of treatment facilities in the district, Dilli Choulagain, a teacher of Chulimalika Mavi, said that the snake-bitten injured did not come to the hospital and were forced to die due to Jharphuk in the village. "Two people from Khadachakra, which is close to Sadarmukam, went to the hospital but did not receive treatment," he said, "It takes hours to reach Manm from far away." However, he said that the data of snakebite patients who died after being referred by the hospital is not mentioned.
Even though snakebitten patients should be treated as soon as possible, there is only treatment facility in Surkhet in Karnali Province. Due to geographical difficulty, it takes at least 8 hours to 2 days to reach Surkhet by land from Kalikot, Jumla, Mugu, Humla and Dolpa in Upper Karnali.
According to the standard for the establishment of snakebite treatment center 2077, it is mentioned that for the treatment of snakebite, physical structures including doctor's room, nursing station, patient bed, ventilator, oxygen cylinder, ICU, refrigerator, patient monitor and other equipment, 7 manpower including 1 medical officer.
Information Officer Mahat said that there was no space problem after the construction of the building in Kalikot Hospital last year. He said that the government should provide free helicopter service for snakebite patients.
"If there is an air rescue facility like the mother safety program, all the patients who have been bitten by snakes can be saved," he said.
