THE HINDU (Chennai, India) 12 December 09 Call to adopt preventive steps for snake-bites

Dindigul: Immediate and appropriate first aid and treatment, referring complicated cases to higher centre and effective campaign on preventive measures are essential to treat and save people from snake-bites, said T. Jayabal, Joint Director of Health Services.

He was releasing a handbook on treatment guidelines for snake-bite and scorpion sting at a training programme held here recently.

“Community must be motivated to understand and adopt preventive measures. Primary Health Centres and headquarter hospitals should maintain a registry for snake-bite or scorpion sting and initiate research activities in a trans-disciplinary manner,” he said.Such measures would certainly bring down morbidity and mortality rate.

Hospitals should undertake research activities on various aspects of snake-bite and scorpion sting, and share the knowledge and experience with others to enhance health care delivery,.

According to available data, every 10 seconds there was a snake-bite and one in every six snake-bite victims happened to be from villages. Pointing out that awareness on preventive measures was a must as 90 per cent snakes were not poisonous, he said, meticulous monitoring every hour or two was imperative for ensuring recovery of snake-bite victims.

All hospitals had sufficient stock of medicines for snake-bites, Mr. Jayabal said. The hand book stated that community should receive health education on preventive and curative aspects of snake-bite and scorpion sting.

Snake-bite was common during monsoon and post monsoon seasons and the most affected were stated to be agricultural workers. Destruction of forests for creating agricultural land had increased the prey base for snakes.

Number of snakes per acre in a rice field is abnormally high when compared to the natural population in forests.

Four species - Indian cobra, Common Krait, Russell’s viper and saw scaled viper were responsible for Indian snake-bite mortality, according to the handbook. “It was to be remembered that systemic action of venom and the extent varies from one snake to another. Complications and outcome due to snake-bite might also vary from each other and could never be predicted. Pain, oozing, development of an enlarged tender lymphnode, discoloration of the bitten spot and swelling should be diagnosed.”

The 20 Minutes Whole Blood Clotting Test (20WBCT) was considered as the most reliable test for coagulation, it guided.

Walking with a heavy step at night with sturdy footwear and a torch, carrying a stick while cutting grass or picking fruits or vegetables, checking ground ahead when cutting crops and paying close attention to leaves and sticks on the ground during wood collection and keeping plants away from doors and windows to prevent climbing of snakes would all serve to be better precautions against snake-bite.
Call to adopt preventive steps for snake-bites

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