DEMOW, Aug 17: The Demow CHC and Model Hospital has achieved a significant milestone in the fight against snakebite envenoming, by treating its 4,000th snakebite victim. A dedicated team of doctors at the Demow Model Hospital situated at Raichai Konwar Dehingia has been treating snakebite patients since 2018, and through timely interventions, has prevented loss of precious lives.

Dr Surajit Giri, anesthesia specialist and snakebite specialist at the Demow Model Hospital, and a member of the National Technical Advisory Committee, Ministry of Health, Government of India, informed this correspondent that the hospital achieved the milestone on August 7, 2026. Till date, out of the 4,000 snakebite cases, there has been zero referral of patients and only four snakebite patients required shifting to other hospitals, marking an important achievement in rural snakebite management.

Only four patients – each suffering from krait envenoming – required shifting, among the 4,000 victims, to nearby collaborating private hospitals because Demow Model Hospital, being a rural government facility, does not have mechanical ventilators/artificial respiratory support. Since the beginning of this journey, except for one death in 2020, all other snakebite victims treated at the hospital have survived and recovered.

The overall venomous bite rate among these cases has been approximately 13 per cent. The achievement is particularly significant because the currently available polyvalent anti-snake venom (ASV) has limited effectiveness against some of the medically important venomous snakes found in Assam and the Northeast.

Despite this challenge, the healthcare team has continued to manage patients through early recognition, close monitoring, timely supportive treatment and appropriate use of available resources. The snakebite treatment initiative was primarily aimed at protecting rural and economically vulnerable people, and approximately 96 per cent of the victims treated at the hospital were from extremely financially distressed backgrounds.

The success of the programme has also been strongly supported by the community. Most importantly, patients and their families developed faith in the healthcare system and sought medical attention early.

Many patients reached the hospital within one hour of the bite and remained under observation for at least 24 hours, allowing timely intervention when complications developed. “The fight against venom is ultimately a fight for life, and particularly for those who have the least financial and social resources to fight it themselves,” said Dr Giri.