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“Puducherry tops in tackling snakebite”

PUDUCHERRY: With an efficient treatment system in place, the Union Territory stands first in the country in the management of snakebites, according to Medical Superintendent of the Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital and Post Graduate Institute (IGGGH & PGI) V. Govindaraj on Sunday.

Delivering a lecture on “Nursing Management of Medical Emergencies” at the Continuing Nursing Education programme, he said the performance of Puducherry in snakebite management was documented and the mortality rate was low when compared to the rest of the country.

“The bite to needle time is shorter in Puducherry. The mortality rate of snake bite is 10 to 15 per cent all over the country, while it is less than six per cent here,” he said.

Medical personnel here were aware of the Whole Blood Clotting Time (WBCT), he said, adding, “The WBCT should be less than 10 minutes.

If it is more, then we should start the anti-venom dose for the patients. We are cautious of the clotting time and that is why we are not losing patients,” Dr. Govindaraj said.

Indeed, it is early diagnosis of snakebites and increased awareness among medical personnel of the treatment modalities that had taken the Union Territory to new heights in the management of snakebite.

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