Almost 15,000 snake bite admissions in Bangladesh

RAJSHAHI, Bangladesh, October 11 ------ In the swamplands along Bangladesh’s mighty Padma River, snakes slithering through villages have become an unrelenting menace, leaving residents terrified and hospitals overwhelmed with bite victims. Doctors and experts warn snakebites are on the rise, driven by heavy rains, shrinking habitats, and shifting farming practices.

Bangladesh — among the nation's most vulnerable to climate change — has seen nearly 15,000 snakebite admissions this year, with 84 deaths reported so far. Farmer Ananda Mondol broke down as he recalled how a snake bit his ankle while he was working in a rice field this year. “I couldn’t talk, I couldn’t move,” the 35-year-old from Nimtola, a village in the northern district of Rajshahi, told AFP. “I vomited, lost control of my bowels, and saliva was coming out of my mouth.”

He spent three days in intensive care and is still plagued by sleepless nights and persistent muscle pain. The father of four has not returned to the field since. His wife, Sunita Rani, a traditional healer, said the family cannot afford further treatment. Across the villages of northern Bangladesh, similar stories abound. “Sometimes, they even lie with us on the bed,” said Rezina Begum, as she washed clothes by the river.

Another villager, Mohammad Bablu, told AFP he dreads walking through the fields.

Source: manilastandard.net