SARLAHI: Cases of snakebite have increased in Sarlahi in recent weeks as rising temperatures have driven snakes out of their natural habitats.
The Snakebite Treatment Centre at Nawalpur in Lalbandi Municipality-1 has reported a higher number of patients compared to the same period last year.
Health Assistant Jagannath Yadav said the centre had treated 305 snakebite patients by the first week of July this year, exceeding the number recorded during the corresponding period last year.
Chairman of the centre, Uddhav Paudel, said between three and seven people visit the facility each day for treatment. “Snakebite cases are generally higher from January to September,” he said.
According to Paudel, venomous snakes that normally remain hidden in bushes and burrows emerge during hotter weather. They become more active at night while searching for prey. “Snakes do not hunt humans as prey. They usually bite only when they feel threatened or are accidentally disturbed,” he explained.
Data from the centre show a steady rise in snakebite cases over the past few months. There were 17 cases in Falgun (February/March), 47 in Chaitra (March/April), 65 in Baisakh (April/May), 85 in Jestha (May/June), and 91 cases so far in Asar (June/July).
Yadav said three patients bitten by the highly venomous common krait were referred to Janakpur for advanced treatment, while the remaining patients were treated at the centre.
He added that many people arrive after being bitten by non-venomous or mildly venomous snakes. Only about five to seven percent of patients develop systemic envenomation, while around 15 to 20 percent are found to have sustained “dry bites,” in which no venom is injected.
The treatment centre is staffed by two MBBS doctors, three health assistants (HAs), two certified medical assistants (CMAs) and a health technician from the Nepali Army.
Health workers have also expressed concern that some snakebite victims lose valuable time by first seeking treatment from traditional faith healers instead of visiting a medical facility, increasing the risk of serious complications or death.
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