KATHMANDU, JUNE 11

Ujawal Jha, a 31-year-old youth activist from Balwa Municipality, Mahottari, was deeply disturbed when a woman from his neighbouring village died on her way to the hospital from a snake bite. 'If there had been a hospital closer to the village, she would still be alive today. However, we could not save her,' Jha told THT.

This compelled Jha to travel to Singha Durbar and request that Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal establish a snakebite treatment centre in his municipality.

'Today I met with Prime Minister Dahal and asked him to open a snakebite treatment centre in Balwa municipality,' he said. 'Taking my request seriously, he promised to include this scheme in the upcoming budget. This step will help to provide prompt and effective treatment in snakebite cases, which is expected to significantly improve the local population's health security.'

Snake bite is not a very uncommon phenomenon in Madhes districts, the southern part of Nepal, or Tarai Belt, as it is comparatively hotter and snake movement increases significantly during summer.

'At least 4 to 5 people die untimely from snake bite during the summer in various districts of Madhes Province, which is a serious and worrying issue,' added Jha.

Jha emphasised that it seems imperative to open 35 more snakebite treatment centres in the districts of Madhes province, keeping in mind the health and safety of the citizens of the region.

Madhes currently has nine snake-bite treatment centres, with eight districts in total. They are in Janakpurdham, Siraha, Rajbiraj, Saptari District Hospital, Birgunj, Sarlahi, and Rautahat, respectively. Others are located in Gaur and Chandranigahapur, Bara, Parsa, and Mahottari.

Every year, snake bites kill approximately 2,700 people, the majority of whom are women and children from Nepal's Tarai region, according to a report titled 'Snakebite epidemiology in humans and domestic animals across the Tarai region in Nepal: A multi-cluster random survey.'

Narayan Adhikari, a 27-year-old youth activist and member of Rotaract Club of Bardibas, said, 'April and May data from the Bardibas Snakebite Centre show 45 people were admitted to the hospital for treatment, although April and May are not peak seasons for snakebite.'

Adhikari reports that the Bardibas Snakebite Centre saw over 3000 snakebite cases last year. 'We, as Rotaract Club members, have been working hard on this issue and pressuring the local government to keep at least one city police officer who can help, as we will assist him/her with training and snake rescue,' Adhikari added.

However, the Bardibas Snakebite Centre has yet to implement a ventilation system in the hospital, resulting in several deaths due to snake bites.

Snakebites have had a significant impact, particularly in various Madhes districts. Every year, hundreds of people die as a result of the region's lack of snakebite treatment centres.

According to Jha, the government should set aside the necessary funds to open a snakebite treatment centre.

Furthermore, this work can be made a success with the assistance of various non-governmental organisations and international donors.

Local representatives, health workers, community leaders, and members of civil society should all work together to open a snakebite treatment centre.

'The opening of snakebite treatment centres in the districts of Madhes province will significantly improve the health and safety of the local people,' stated Jha, adding. 'This will reduce the number of premature deaths due to snakebite and increase the confidence of local people in health services. Therefore, the seriousness of this need should be recognized and implemented immediately.'

Snake experts, on the other hand, claim that there is always conflict between snakes and humans in society. However, it is widely accepted that 90 per cent of snakes are non-venomous. So the coexistence of snakes and humans must be properly understood.

Asbin Raj Ojha, Snake Rescuer and Teacher, said, 'Research is very crucial in this field, as it appears to be the second most human and animal conflict prone issue after tiger and human, but high profile people were entangled in corruption cases while establishing the research centre.'

In October, the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) charged seven officials with corruption in the snake breeding programme of the Jhalanath Khanal Health Sciences Academy.

The CIAA stated that through investigations, it discovered that the accused committed corruption in the budget made available by the provincial government with the goal of collecting, processing, and producing snake venom in collaboration with the Academy at Lalbandi, Sarlahi.

'To be safe from snakebite, the prime work is to spread awareness, which will finally help people understand the coexistence principle as snakes are a very vital component in the ecosystem and nature,' he added.

Furthermore, there are numerous misconceptions and myths about snakes. Snakes, for example, snap pictures, which is why they should be killed by smashing their heads.

'People also seek out faith healers, snake charmers, and shamans immediately after being bitten by a snake, which is a completely conservative belief. Instead, they should immediately seek first aid and then go to the hospital,' Ojha said and added.

'However, the presence of social media has increased the young generation's awareness of the issues, and all we need to do now is maintain the momentum of awareness, particularly in snakebite-prone areas like the Tarai Belt and among people of all ages and sectors of society.'