First Community Education Programme on Snakebite launched for Rural Communities

3rd March 2008. Snakes lie close to human dwellings and snake bite management even closer! This is the very principle of Community Education Programme initiated by Amson Vaccines & Pharma (Pvt) Ltd in Kotla village, Hazara district North West Frontier Province. The awareness and training session was conducted by Dr. Ian D Simpson, an international snakebite expert and Snakebite Adviser to the Pakistan Medical Research Council and Dr. Amir Mahmood, Amson, and was attended by local inhabitants and school students.

The session focused on the practical issues of rural life which increase the incidence of snakebite, practical methods of snakebite prevention, identification of poisonous snakes and simple guidelines on first aid treatment of a snakebite victim stressing the “Do it R.I.G.H.T.” method. Traditional and movie-advocated methods like tying of string or clothing around the limb above snakebite, cutting and sucking of snakebite wound, placing stones (manka) and eating onion or chillies to neutralize the snake venom was discouraged by the expert. These methods, besides being useless, can be dangerous for the patient.

Important signs and symptoms of snakebite envenomation were also explained and the significance of informing the doctor of any noticed on the way to the hospital was highlighted which helps doctors manage the victim properly. The audience took active participation in this interactive programme, particularly when techniques to maintain the breathing of patients with respiratory failure from cobras and kraits were demonstrated. Due to the high risk in this particular area Amson agreed to provide anti venom to be stored at the school to be taken to the nearest hospital with the victim and a resuscitation bag to the school with training for the teachers in how to use it.
First aid, snake identification and awareness posters in Urdu were distributed for the whole village, which were greatly appreciated by all participants as a useful tool to disseminate the information.

The local Councillors Mr. Akhtar Zaman and Mr. Shamraiz Khan thanked Ian D Simpson and Amson Vaccines & Pharma (Pvt) Ltd for arranging such educational activity in their village.

The Imam-e-Masjid Qari Wahab of the local mosque was presented with posters and Dr Simpson said in thanking him for his invaluable support, “I would like to thank the Kari Sahab for his support and much appreciate the valuable contribution that the mosque can make in helping educate local people in this rural medical problem”.

Speaking to the media, Ian D Simpson strongly recommended such Community Education Programmes for the rural populations of areas at high-risk from snakebite. Dr. Amir Mahmood committed that Amson will continue such programmes on country-wide basis as their social responsibility programme.