Close shave for teen as NMMC hospital yet to get antivenom

NAVI MUMBAI: Snakebite victims from the city still have to be rushed to hospitals in Mumbai for treatment, with anti-venom serum still not available at the NMMC hospital in Vashi.

Eighteen- year- old Fardoshi Khatoon, a resident of Vashi village, missed death by hours when she was by a snake Monday evening. She was taken to the civic hospital in Vashi, where doctors claimed they were helpless as they did not have the anti-venom serum. They advised her to go to Sion hospital in Mumbai, where she was treated for Rs6,000.

While blaming a shortage in the market for their poor facilities, the civic administration has said that 20 doses should come in by Monday.

The shortage, which has lasted two months now, has caused severe inconvenience to patients and their relatives. Residents are furious with the civic hospital, as snakebite can be fatal and urgent medical attention is required to save patients.

To make matters worse, snakebite victims from Uran and Panvel are also brought to the Vashi civic hospital.

NMMC’s medical officer for health, Dr Ramesh Nikam, said the serum is supplied to the hospital by Haffkine institute, which has not produced an adequate quantity of it this year. “We have placed an order with the institute and followed it up several times, but to no avail. There is no supply in the open market either,” he said.

However, Nikam said, the municipal commissioner has spoken to the institute’s authorities and asked for 200 doses on an urgent basis. “We are expecting the first installment of 20 doses to come on Monday.” Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) hospitals had faced a similar shortage of anti-venom serum last year, and patients had to run to hospitals in Mumbai and Thane for treatment. And the sorry state of affairs has returned.