GUWAHATI: An Assam rural hospital has treated its 4,000th snakebite victim since launching its specialised snakebite treatment model in 2018, recording only one death during the period.
The Demow Rural Community Health Centre-cum-Model Hospital in Sivasagar district treated its 4,000th case on August 7. Around 13 per cent of the cases involved venomous bites.
The only death was recorded in 2020 after the patient was brought to the hospital late and in a critical condition.
Of the 4,000 victims, only four patients suffering from krait envenoming had to be shifted to nearby private hospitals because the rural government facility does not have mechanical ventilators or other artificial respiratory support.
The collaboration between the government hospital and private facilities helped patients requiring prolonged artificial ventilation receive higher-level respiratory support.
“The achievement is significant because the currently available polyvalent anti-snake venom has limited effectiveness against some of the medically important venomous snakes found in Assam and the Northeast,” Dr Surajit Giri, consultant anaesthesiologist at the Demow Model Hospital and member of the National Technical Advisory Committee, Ministry of Health, told TNIE.
Despite the challenge, the hospital’s healthcare team has managed patients through early recognition, close monitoring and timely supportive treatment.
Under the Demow Model, volunteers were trained to identify snakebite symptoms, provide basic care and ensure patients reached the hospital quickly. A helpline and a WhatsApp group were also created for real-time coordination among doctors and health workers.
About 96 per cent of the victims treated at the hospital were from financially distressed backgrounds.
“The 4,000th case is more than a number. It represents 4,000 families which sought help, thousands of hours of dedicated work by healthcare personnel, and a continuing effort to make effective snakebite treatment accessible to rural and economically disadvantaged communities,” Dr Giri said.
He attributed the achievement to healthcare workers, patients, families, community members, public representatives and the wider society who supported the initiative.
