Provision of anti-venom injections - a must

By Ananda KANNANGARA

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Over 40,000 persons are bitten by snakes annually and anti-venom injections should be provided to all hospitals countrywide to save them from death. Senior Prof. (Forensic Medicine and Toxicology) University of Colombo Ravindra Fernando told the Sunday Observer.

Quoting from latest reports, Prof. Fernando said around 100 snake bite victims die in the country annually due to lack of proper treatment.

It is said that over 60 per cent cases of snake bites are reported from most vulnerable areas such as Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa.

Prof. Fernando said the Health Department spends a huge amount of money to import anti-venom injections and also other medicines to treat snake bite victims.

The seven highly venomous snakes identified in Sri Lanka are cobra, russels viper (Thith Polanga), common krait (Thel Karawala), ceylon krait (Dunu Karawala), saw scaled viper, humped-nose viper and green pit viper. Prof. Fernando also advised the public if a person is bitten by a cobra or any other venomous snake he should be immediately taken to hospital with or without the snake.

Prof. Fernando also stressed the need of supplying anti-venom injections and other necessary medicine to hospitals countrywide.