Ishwardi (Pabna) Correspondent :
The residents of Ishwardi are terrified of poisonous Russell Viper (Chandrabora) snake which have increased tremendously in the locality especially in the Pakshi and Bagheil areas, including those living on the banks of the Padma River. The wandering of this snake is seen more than before. In the meantime, some people have lost their lives due to the bite of the snake. But Ishwardi Hospital does not have enough antivenom injections and ICU after pushing the injections.
On investigation, it is known that for the last 2-3 years, this rare species of Russel viper has spread in Ishwardi. A few people have already died due to the bite of this snake. Earlier in November-December 2018, a person brought Russell’s viper from Padma Char to his home mistaking it for python. He died of a Russell viper bite. A child died after being bitten by a Russell viper in Pakshi Union. On December 8, a young Russel Viper from Tikri village in Nazirpur, Pabna near Ishwardi died in Rajshahi Medical Hospital while undergoing treatment. Due to the increase in migration, there is now fright of Russell Viper in Pabna district including Ishwardi.
RMO Dr. Shafiqul Islam of Upazila Health Complex said, very dangerous poisonous Russell viper is coming from India to Ishwardi by river. Farmers have o work in boots and carefully. The market price of a vaccine in the market is around 12-13 thousand taka.
Upazila Health Officer Dr. Asma Khan said that the number of snake bite patients in the hospital has increased recently.
Russell Viper grows quickly and reproduces where there are river basins, these snakes are more infested. Because of which there has been an outbreak of snakebite patients here recently. If there is a medicine and anesthesia consultant here, we can cure snake bite patients. But it is not enough to cure the patients. We also need antivenom injection which is very inadequate in health complexes. Specialized measures such as ICU are required only after the patient has been given an antivenom injection. Which is not even in our upazila health complex and district headquarter hospital. That’s why we are not able to provide good treatment for the patient. After two or one days, I hear that patients are dying from snake bites. If the antivenom injection is in large quantity then it is possible to save the patient. In this case, the snake bitten patient should be brought directly to the hospital instead of taking them to Ojha. Then we will be able to take the patient to a better stage. A patient can be transferred to a specialized hospital to prevent immediate death.
The Russell Viper is a rare species of snake found in West Bengal and Bangladesh. The Russell Viper is one of the causes of fear in the rural areas of most districts of West Bengal.
