Bangladesh reels from surge in snake bites

Following reports of a rise in snake wounds all over Bangladesh, all health facilities and hospitals have been given the order to share anti-venom.

Dr. Samanta Lal Sen, the health secretary, urged the general public to immediately visit snake-bites if possible.

In rural Bangladesh, hospitals have noticed a rise in snake struck people, particularly those who have South Asian Russell’s snake.

In recent days, the situations have become a hot issue on Bangladeshi social media.

As it feeds on rabbits, the Russell’s snake is usually found near individual settlements, and in farmland especially during harvest time.

A 2023 study said about 7, 000 people die in Bangladesh every month from snake bites. If rapidly treated with anti-venom, the majority of patients survive.

The Russell’s snake was declared dead in Bangladesh in 2002 but the species has then returned.

Experts believe the snake, which often lives found in dry regions, has adapted to various weather conditions, and has now spread to more than 25 towns in Bangladesh.

One of the most undertreated tropical diseases, according to the World Health Organization, makes battling snake wounds a goal.