It’s a miracle - black mamba snakebite survivor
MBABANE – A black mamba snakebite victim is lucky to be alive after spending six days on a ventilator.
1kululeko Dlamini is amonJ over
snakeEite victims who were treated Ey 7he /uke &ommission 7/& from -anuary to date. 0ost of the snakeEites came from the /uEomEo 5eJion, which recorded cases. 7he 0an]ini 5eJion recorded cases, 6hiselweni had and there were in the Hhohho 5eJion.
0ost recently, there were snakeEite admissions recorded Ey 7/& in the Sast two weeks.
,n an interview with Dlamini, he stated that survivinJ was a miracle for him as he had not anticiSated to live. $ccordinJ to Dlamini, he was Eitten Ey a snake on the thiJh and was assisted Ey a neiJh Eour who orJanised a car to rush him to 7/& 0iracle &amSus. He said when he arrived at the hosSital, he was no lonJer aEle to move.
Dlamini stated that he was immediate ly assessed Ey the medical team uSon arrival. ³, had no strenJth and the only thinJ that was keeSinJ me alive was the ventilator,´ Dlamini said.
$ccordinJ to Dlamini, desSite EeinJ unresSonsive, he could hear everythinJ that the medical team was sayinJ Eut could not move or feel anythinJ.
&linical Director at 7/& (lton &hakanyuka said the Satient Sresented severe siJns of a neuroto[ic Eite, which is commonly caused Ey a Elack mamEa. &hakanyuka said the venom from the snake had EeJun to Saralyse Dlamini’s nervous system, threateninJ his aEility to Ereathe. He added that 7/&’s medical team Slaced him on a ventilator and administered antivenom.
He said for almost five days, Dlamini remained unresSonsive, addinJ that 7/&’s team attended to him, SrovidinJ round the clock care and oEservation, as he remained on the ventilator.
$ccordinJ to &hakanyuka, normally Satients who Jet Eitten Ey snakes like a Elack mamEa recover in to hours as the effects of the venom lessen and as the antivenom does its work.
However, he said in Dlamini’s case, some days Sassed without noticeaEle imSrovement and at one staJe it aSSeared as thouJh he was Erain dead.
He said it was after five days on the ventilator that Dlamini EeJan to show siJns of imSrovement, slowly reJaininJ the aEility to move his limEs.
0eanwhile, (cho 1omsa 9ander:al, who is the 0anaJinJ ([ecutive Director of 7he /uke &ommission, stated that after two days on the ventilator, Dlamini showed siJns of EeinJ Erain dead, addinJ that it was a very sad moment.