COIMBATORE: The Wildlife and Nature Conservation Trust appealed to the Tamil Nadu government to institute a new protocol to treat snake bite victims after doctors in the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) and the Theni Government Hospital allegedly administered anti-venom to patients bitten by less venomous snakes. Patients then developed rashes and swelling.
The patient, Seeranjeevi (25) who is working at a resort at Masinagudi in Nilgiris district was bitten by Malabar pit viper on Tuesday. He was shifted to the CMCH after getting first aid at Masinagudi’s PHC.
N Sadiq Ali, the founder of WNCT said, “Seeranjeevi showed a photo of a Malabar pit viper and doctors at CMCH mistook it for a Russell viper. The doctors gave anti-venom injection after finding no clots in the patient’s blood sample. Instead, this patient should have been monitored for a day.”
Meanwhile, a forest staff, bitten by a large-scale green pit viper at Kodaikanal, is recovering at the Theni government hospital. Sources said that both patients are stable. “We urge the government to issue directions to doctors specialised in treating snake bites after identifying the snakes with the herpetologist. With the help of TN forest department officials, we are ready to sensitise government doctors and nurses across the State,” he said.
A Nirmala, the Dean of CMCH said saving lives is the priority and that they administer drug without waiting to know if the snake is venomous. She claimed that the antidote does not cause harm to those who were bitten by non-venomous snakes. Meanwhile, Health Secretary Dr J Radhakrishnan said he would probe both cases.
