Antivenom shortage in India

Every year, India has the same problem. Monsoon season rolls in, bringing an increase in snake bites and a short of antivenom. From The Times of India:

Sources said that most of the CHCs do not have anti-venom vaccine. As a result, doctors have to refer patients to district hospital. "If the course is not started timely, the patient dies a painful death within three hours of the bite," added. In the last 24 hours, around four cases of snake-bite were reported from Akbarpur, Derapur and Rura areas. Soni, wife of Kallu of Nariha village, was admitted to the district hospital on Tuesday. The incident occurred while she had gone to fetch something inside her room on Tuesday evening. The doctors stated her condition to be critical. [...] A doctor at the CHC said that there is shortage of anti-venom vaccines and that they have been facing hardships while treating patients. "If not treated timely, the snake bite can be fatal" he said. The market price of an anti-snake venom is around Rs 1,000, it is given free of cost at the hospital to urban as well as rural patients. On an average, two to three patients of snake-bite visit Kanpur Dehat district hospital daily. Since July, the doctors at most of the CHC's have been referring patients to district hospital.

Inset photo courtesy of John Light