Mahbubnagar: Monsoon increases snakebite cases

Mahbubnagar: Hardly rainy season started from June 1, people in many villages and remote hamlets in Palamur region are falling prey to poisonous snakes and insects. Many victims are dying due to the non-availability of anti-venom injections and emergency care facilities in many areas of the erstwhile Mahbubnagar district.

Moreover, many villagers still believe occultists (tantric) and takes the snake bite victims to them instead of approaching hospitals. This is the major reason for more fatalities of snake bite victims, observed the healthcare experts.

Recently, a five-year-old girl from Gopalpet mandal headquarters was bitten by a snake. Her parents and relatives instead of taking her to local hospital or to a doctor, they approached pamu (snake) mantragadu first and later to a hospital after he failed to cure her. But it was too late as the girl succumbed to snake bite.

People living in remote villages and interior hamlets surrounding Nallamalla forest region are the most vulnerable of snake and poisonous insect bites.

According to healthcare officials of erstwhile Mahbubnagar, it is estimated that every year 150 to 170 snake bite and insect bite cases are registered across all the 76 primary healthcare centers (PHC). There are 1,692 small and big gram panchayats combined in all five districts of Nagarkurnool, Narayanpet, Wanaparthy, Gadwal and residual Mahbubnagar districts.

Health officials advised the public since rainy season has begun, they must be vigilant, must keep the surroundings of their houses clean and neat and must remove all unwanted bushes, abandoned walls and broken houses, as these are the places where poisonous insects and snakes live.

Nagarkurnool District Medical and Health Officer Dr Sudhakar Lal explained that snakes will be under hibernation during monsoon and become active and come out in search of food. Therefore, people, particularly living in remote villages must be vigilant and must approach the nearest PHC in case of snake bite and not to consult tantrics. Anti-venom injections are available in all PHCs and doctors and PHC staff were told to act swiftly in case of snake bite emergency case that comes to the hospital, he added.