Snake bite? No immediate medicare

[1]

Auto driver Subramani (37), hailing from Melnallathur, a village near Tiruvallur, is lucky to be alive even after two strong bites from a venomous krait snake almost killed him.

It is still hard to believe that I am alive, wonders Mr Subramani, who had a brush with death last month after the doctors in the nearby government hospital in district headquarters Tiruvallur said they did not have dialysis facility.

With his kidneys shutting down, he had to be rushed to Rajiv Gandhi government hospital in Chennai where he was treated immediately.

Even an hour’s delay would have spelt doom for the driver and been a sticky situation for his wife and two school-going daughters as he is the sole breadwinner.

Recalling the horrific experience of life and death battle, Mr Subramani says, “I panicked after sensing that I had been bitten by a venomous kattuvirian and people nearby rushed me to the Tiruvallur government hospital where the doctors refused to believe it was a snake bite,” and adds that they started treatment only after showing the snake which we took with us.

Such was the nature of bite —deep and strong — and a doctor even said it was as if I had been mauled by an animal.

What followed was worse. The family was shell-shocked when doctors said his kidneys had started to shut down because of the neurotoxins in the venom, and told them to rush the patient to GH in Chennai, which is 50 km away. Further, there was no ambulance available in the hospital.

“Our family lost hope but nevertheless took me in my autorickshaw to the GH, where I was admitted in the renal unit,” recounts Mr Subramani, and adds that had it not been for his autorickshaw, he would have not be alive now.

The northern and central parts of Tiruvallur district, where agriculture thrives, also have a lot of snakes.

Hence, the government has to create adequate facilities, including stocking sufficient amount of anti-venom serum, besides creating a dialysis unit and improving the ambulance facilities, appeal the villagers of Melnallathur.