AIIMS doctors give life-saving tips to snake rescuers

BHUBANESWAR: In a bid to educate and guide snake rescuers from across the state, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar organised a day-long workshop on occupational safety and basic life support (BLS) here on Sunday.

Doctors in AIIMS said, snake rescuers are often the first person of contact with public in cases of snake bite. Their valour has a lasting good impression on the public mind. These rescuers also spread the awareness among public about dos and don'ts in cases snake bite and to blow away various prevailing myths. "Therefore AIIMS being a tertiary health care centre has come forward to empower these Snake rescuers with basic life support skills and teach them the much required first aid procedures of snake bites," said director of AIIMS, Bhubaneswar Dr. Gitanjali B.

Faculty members of department of paediatrics, trauma and emergency medicine, and forensic medicine and toxicology of AIIMS demonstrated various ways of dealing with snakebite incidents and what are the first aid and basic life support skills to the rescuers. As many as 50 snake rescuers from across the state participated in the workshop.

"This is first of its kind initiative by AIIMS in India which will not only reduce snake-human conflict and loss of life due to it but also an exposure to various risks the rescuers are exposed to, " Dr. Gitanjali B added. The director also said that treatment of snake rescuers will be done on priority basis in AIIMS.

In addition to snake bite and its complication like death and disability, the snake rescuers are also exposed to several zoonotic diseases and accidents while handling snakes.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wild Life) and chief wildlife warden of Odisha, Sandeep Tripathy thanked AIIMS, Bhubaneswar for tailoring such innovative ways of sharing knowledge and creating programme. He also emphasized that snake rescuers should work in association with local forest officials, take stricter safety measures, and obey wildlife act.

In 2017, snake bite is declared as a 'neglected tropical diseases' by the World Health Organisation (WHO). As per WHO, snakebite is a burden on developing countries and India tops the list of snakebite deaths in the entire world. There are about 45000-50000 reported snake bite deaths India every year.

Founder of Snake Helpline, a voluntary organisation works for rescue and rehabilitation of snakes, Subhendu Mallick said, "The workshop is an eye-opener and was much needed for the snake rescuers."