Snake bite antivenom to be made available at Taluk hospitals too; list of hospitals to be updated

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Antivenom medicine for snake bite victims will be provided in hospitals from taluk level onwards. In the meeting chaired by Health Department Director KJ Reena, the Health Department has decided to update the list of hospitals receiving antivenom for this purpose. The list of government and private hospitals will be updated.

The health department has the 2019 district-wise list. District Medical Officers were directed to revise it and include more hospitals. The final list will be published on the website of the health department and through the media.

Minister Veena George had recently directed the director of the health department to publish the information so that the patient can quickly reach a hospital with a stock of antivenom.

Snake venoms consist of a mixture of proteins. The antidote to snake venom is made from horses. Antivenom is obtained by injecting the horse with the venom of four snakes - cobra, common krait, vipers and saw-scaled viper - and extracting the antibody from the blood.

Free in government hospitals

There is no shortage of antivenom in the state. Government and private hospitals have stock of antivenom. Antivenom is free in government hospitals. The medicine is given taking into account the poison and bleeding in the body. Doctors say that snakebite cases are higher in February and March. Antivenom is available in powder and liquid form.