5.4 million people are bitten each year with 2.7 million being poisonous bites.
According to the expert, 99% of people tie something around the area bitten by the snake to stop it from spreading any further.
People who are not experts cannot tell the difference between a poisonous snake and a non-poisonous one and end up losing their lives due to snake bites. If someone has been bitten by a snake, immediate action is the need of the hour. People also need to avoid some of the commonly made mistakes that can lead to a host of other diseases like Gangrene and Paralysis.
Dr Rajesh Kumar Prajapati, Medical Superintendent has revealed these mistakes in a conversation with News18 Hindi. He works at the Community Health Center in Baldirai, Sultanpur. According to Dr Prajapati, 99% of people tie something around the area bitten by the snake to stop it from spreading any further. He suggested that it is one of the biggest blunders committed by the people. He said that this stops the flow of blood and damages the tissues as well that causes problems like Gangrene and Paralysis. The patients can lose their life as well. They should also not slash the wound and try to catch the snake.
He suggested that the anti-snake venom vaccine is available in the community health centres that are located in nearly every state of India. According to the doctor, family members of the affected persons should immediately refer the patient to these community health centres after the snakebite. Dr Prajapati said that the blood test in hospitals will also be able to diagnose whether the snake that has been bitten is a venomous or non-venomous one.
Dr Prajapati also informed that only 20 per cent of the snakes are poisonous and their bite can prove to be fatal for the patient if they don’t get timely medical help. In India, four types of snakes are extremely fatal, namely- Common Cobra, Saw-scaled vipers, Common Krait and Russell’s viper.
According to the World Health Organization, 5.4 million people are estimated to be bitten each year with 2.7 million being poisonous bites. These bites can also cause paralysis, kidney failure and tissue damage which may lead to permanent disability or amputation. Children suffer the most from these snakebites due to their smaller bodies.