A breed of poisonous snake thought about a threatened types in Bangladesh even a years back has actually made a full-fledged resurgence in the northern and southeast parts of the nation, ruining public life.
The snake, Russell’s viper or Chandrabora in Bengali vernacular, is the most poisonous snake in Bangladesh.
A viper’s bite can spread out toxin throughout the body and trigger different physical signs, consisting of loss of control of limbs, constant bleeding, embolism, nerve damage, paralysis, and kidney damage.
Locally state that urbanisation in the northern part of the nation almost erased Russell’s viper a years back.
However, given that 2012, individuals in the countryside of Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj, along with in the Rajbari, Faridpur, Kushtia and Patuakhali districts, have actually identified fully-grown Russell’s vipers and snakelets in their farmland and in some cases, even in their families.
Dr Md Abdul Wahed Chowdhury, co-investigator of the Venom Research Centre, Bangladesh, or VRC, has a theory about why this specific breed of snake is multiplying once again.
“Russell’s vipers were more common in the northern part of the country and the area’s farmlands used to be one-crop focused, but lately, the farmers in the region adopted techniques to make their lands usable for two-crop even three-crop farming. Crops attract mice, and mice attract snakes,” he said.
Dr Mohammad Firoj Jaman, a teacher of zoology at Dhaka University, posited another concept.
“Snakelets of the viper float down from India with floodwater during monsoon via the Padma. Those who make it to land stay in the Rajshahi region, and those who can’t end up in the south and southeast region of the country,” he said.
ANTIVENOM SHORTAGE An ISSUE
According to the World Health Organisation, administering antivenom is the crucial to conserving lives after a snakebite.
If an antivenom can be injected rapidly after a bite, the antibodies to the antivenom neutralise the venom.
However, the state-run health centers in Bangladesh, specifically the secondary and tertiary ones, do not have appropriate products, as revealed in interviews with several district health administrators across the country.
Dr Md Ibrahim Titon, the civil cosmetic surgeon in Rajbari, yielded that the antivenom stockpiles in his district had actually crossed the expiration date, which is why the medical professionals in the state-run health centers in the district were required to divert 2 snake-bitten clients to Dhaka and Kushita, respectively.
Both clients passed away.
Dr Siddiqur Rahman, the civil cosmetic surgeon in Faridpur, said none of the 9 state-run health centers in his district has a single dosage of antivenom.
“We are diverting every snakebite patient to Dhaka as we have no antivenom in our stock to help them,” he said.
An antivenom includes a number of dosages, and according to a snake professional, Ibrahim Al Haider, even one dosage of the venom can help a client thoroughly.
“If the secondary-level hospitals in Bangladesh, like Upazila Health Complexes, can administer at least one preliminary dose before diverting the patient to a tertiary hospital, I believe many more lives can be saved,” he said.
Most of the antivenoms available in the Bangladesh market are imported from India.
However, Ibrahim, a speaker at Chattogram University and a scientist at the VRC, said the centre had actually started a task to establish antivenom, particularly targeting venom from Russell’s viper.
“We hope to go to clinical trial in a few months,” he said.
FARMERS, INDIVIDUALS LIVING ON RIVER BANKS TERRORISED
The existence of Russell’s vipers on farmland and river banks has actually made farmers and individuals living near river banks afraid for their lives.
Ayub Ali, a farmer in Rajbari’s Pangsa Upazila, said he feared going back to deal with his farmland after identifying a snake a week back.
“I was so scared that I didn’t even pick up my tools. I’ve never gone back to pick them up,” he said.
Some other farmers have actually reported the existence of the lethal vipers in their farmland in other parts of Rajbari and neighbouring Faridpur.
Golam Kuddus Bhuiyan, a forest authorities in Faridpur, said that reports of snake sightings have actually increased in the last 3 years.
“Russell’s Vipers have been arriving in this area via the Padma and Modhumoti rivers. Every year, at least a few people die from snake bites here,” he said.
Pangsa Upazila farming and administrative authorities have actually begun a campaign following the deaths of a couple of individuals by snake bites.
Muhammad Jafar Sadik Chowdhury, the Upazila Nirbahi officer at Pangsa, said his administration and farming authorities have actually been encouraging farmers to remain on guard while they operate in the field.
[Special Correspondent Moinul Hoque Chowdhury, Senior Correspondent Mintu Chowdhury from Chattogram Bureau, Rajbari Correspondent Shamim Reza, Faridupur Correspondent Sheikh Mofizur Rahman Shipon, Kushtia Correspondent Hasan Ali contributed to this report]
[Writing in English, infographic, and video developed by Adil Mahmood]
