As monsoon rains begin in Chitrakoot, snakebite cases have started rising sharply, and Dr. Shekhar Vaishya, superintendent of CHC Manikpur, has made it clear that cutting the wound after a snakebite or trying to draw out the venom with a blade is extremely dangerous and can put the patient's life at even greater risk.
Why snakes come out during the rains
Across the villages of Chitrakoot and the wider Bundelkhand region, snakebite incidents rise every year during the rainy season. Rainwater fills up snake burrows, forcing them out in search of a safe, dry place, often leading them into homes, fields, barns and cattle sheds. This increases the chances of people encountering snakes and pushes up the number of snakebite cases. Because of a lack of awareness, many people fail to get the right treatment at the right time.
Despite this, in many parts of Bundelkhand people still turn to faith healing, superstition and rituals instead of going to a hospital after a snakebite. This carelessness and delay has, in several cases, cost patients their lives.
Cutting the wound or tying it tight, both are dangerous
According to Dr. Shekhar Vaishya, the first and most important thing to understand is that not all snakes are venomous. Most snake species are non venomous, and even many water snakes are not poisonous. But if someone has been bitten and it is not known whether the snake was venomous or not, no carelessness should be shown at all.
Dr. Vaishya specifically cautioned that no cut or incision should ever be made at the spot where the snake has bitten. Many people try to draw out the venom using a blade or a sharp object, but this only increases the risk of infection spreading in the wound. Similarly, tying a rope, cloth or wire tightly around the bitten area also proves harmful.
Keeping the patient calm matters most
The doctor explained that after a snakebite, the first thing to do is keep the patient calm and prevent panic. The patient should be made to lie down comfortably and should be stopped from moving around unnecessarily, since movement causes the venom to spread through the body faster.
Rushing to a hospital is the real treatment
Dr. Vaishya said the most important step is to get the patient to the nearest government hospital or health centre without wasting any time. Hospitals keep anti snake venom available for snakebite treatment, and when it is administered on time, most patients recover completely.
He appealed to people not to waste time on faith healing, rituals or home remedies in a snakebite situation, and instead take the patient straight to the nearest hospital, since timely treatment is what actually saves a life.
