Madhyabindhu District Hospital in Nawalparasi (East) has started providing snakebite treatment. In the past, Kaligandaki Hospital, a private hospital in Kawasoti, was the only hospital in the district to provide the treatment.

Before the separation of Nawalparasi, the district had one hospital, Prithvichandra Hospital, that catered to snakebite patients. But patients from Nawalpur had to travel a distance of 60km to reach the Parasi-based hospital. Because of the distance, snakebite patients from Nawalparasi (East) either had to travel to Bharatpur in Chitwan or to other parts of the country for snakebite treatment.

However, Madhyabindhu Community Memorial Hospital, after being converted into a district hospital, has started providing 24-hour service for snakebite patients from Monday, August 5. Now, patients from the district do not have to travel far for treatment.

Gopal Khanal, chairman at the hospital, said that they are also going to develop the health facility into a research centre for snakebite cases.

“Snakebite cases are high in Nawalpur area and the hospital is preparing to stock the required medicines for snakebites and equip itself with the necessary facilities,” said Khanal.

However, the hospital is yet to set up an intensive care unit. Because of this, critical patients still have to be taken to Bharatpur for snakebite treatment.

The provincial government has provided Rs 4 million for the construction of an ICU section in the hospital.

Monsoons see a rise in snakebite cases in Nawalpur, as most farmers are busy in their fields for the plantation season, exposing them to the risk of snakebites. However, according to Dr Chhabilal Thapa, a doctor at Kaligandaki Hospital, deaths caused by snakebites aren’t necessarily because of the bite itself.

“Some people die because of heart attacks induced by panic and fear,” he said.