Incident exposes lack of treatment of deadly stings in Mira Bhayandar
Bhayandar : A 10-year-old boy was fortunate to survive after being bitten by a venomous snake while playing at the Jesal Park chowpatty in Bhayandar (east). However, the incident has not only exposed the lack of treatment facilities in the region but also the fact that there is hardly any awareness at private clinics and some of the bigger hospitals about the source to obtain anti-snake venom serum (ASVS).
The serum is supposed to be administered as early as possible as delay cause cascading damage to the patient’s health.
A standard VII student of Mother Mary School in Bhayandar, Vishal Singh (10) was playing football when he got bitten on his left leg apparently by a venomous snake on Friday evening. In the absence of snake bite treatment facilities, Vishal was shuttled from a local dispensary to a leading hospital in Mira Road. After all attempts for the search for local treatment failed, Vishal was finally rushed to the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Andheri after nearly an hour long drive from Mira Road.
A medical team swung into rescue mode and after extended rounds of treatments, Vishal was fortunate to survive the deadly sting. His condition is now normal.
When contacted, deputy civic chief Dr Sambhaji Panpatte said, “Not only is our hospital in Mira Road equipped with ASVS vials but private hospital authorities have been directed to inform us if they need to treat snake bite patients.”
The boy’s father, Vipin Singh, runs a grocery store and had to spend around Rs 70,000 towards medical expenses which he had to raised as loans from his friends and kin.
Suresh Golani
