In August 2018, the Demow health centre administered antivenom to a patient for the first time. Since then, Giri and his team have developed a comprehensive model that includes community engagement, early response, hospital preparedness and a trained medical network. A Fast Response Team of healthcare workers and a Venom Response Team of community volunteers were formed.The volunteers were trained to recognise symptoms, provide basic care, and ensure patients reached the hospital swiftly. A helpline was set up, and a WhatsApp group was created for real-time coordination among doctors and health workers.Between 2018 and now, the Demow health centre has treated 2,838 snakebite patients. Only one person died, having arrived too late. Since 2021, there has not been a single snakebite death recorded at the hospital, Giri says.Encouraged by the success, Giri’s team began working with the Assam government to implement the model across the state. “There were over 150 deaths in 2022. It came down to 37 in 2023, 36 in 2024, and only two so far this year – both cases arrived late,” he says.The team has conducted 510 awareness campaigns, trained 1,500 medical officers under the National Health Mission, and collaborated with snake rescuers, herpetologists, and researchers. The partnership yielded the first Assam-specific snakebite treatment protocol, adapted from national guidelines to suit the region’s unique ecology. “We came to know of the snake species found in Assam, their venom and its composition, symptoms of snakebite and amount of antivenom that needs to be administered,” the pioneer says.Endorsed by the Assam government in November 2024, the treatment protocol accounts for the state’s six venomous snake species – Pit Viper, Monocled Cobra, Black Krait, Banded Krait, Red Necked Keelback, and Russell’s Viper. Giri’s team found that only 16% of snakebites in Assam are venomous, a stark contrast to the national figure of 30%.
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