Snake bite patient near Ojha, died due to delay in taking to hospital

A young man died due to delay in taking him to the hospital after being bitten by a snake in Shariatpur.

The family of the deceased says that after being bitten by a snake, they first take the patient to the ojhar (sapude). But, as the condition did not improve there, the patient was taken to the hospital after about two hours.

Doctors say that it was not possible to save the patient due to delay in bringing the patient to the hospital and delay in giving antivenom.

Deceased Imamul Bepari (34) was a resident of Anu Sarkarkandi village of Sakhipur union in Vedarganj upazila of Shariatpur.

After being bitten by a snake around 8 pm on Thursday, the family members first took him to a local Ojha.

Later, when his condition worsened, he was taken to Shariatpur Sadar Hospital around 10 pm.

Dr. RMO of the hospital. Mitu Akhtar told The Daily Star, ‘After wasting time taking the bitten young man to Ojha, he was brought to the hospital around 10 pm. The doctor on duty in the emergency department gave him first aid. No decision to give him antivenom later.’

“The patient’s family was initially reluctant to give antivenom. Later, when they agreed, the patient’s condition had worsened. The patient died while pushing the antivenom,’ he said.

When Rezaul Bepari, the brother of the deceased, was contacted by phone, he told Daily Star, ‘After biting my brother, we first took him to a local Ojha. Later, when the condition worsened, I was taken to Shariatpur Sadar Hospital around 10 pm. During the treatment there, the doctor said my brother died.

‘Then I took my brother to Chandpur Hospital on Friday morning to be sure. They declared him dead there too,’ he said.

Dr. Mitu Akhtar said, ‘The negligence and ignorance of this patient’s family is largely responsible for his death. If someone is bitten by a poisonous snake, they should be taken to the hospital and given antivenom. In this way we cured four snakebite patients.’