Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Samanta Lal Sen on Saturday urged people not to panic over the venomous Russell's viper snakes and said all government hospitals have sufficient anti-venom stocks.
He told this during a virtual meeting with civil surgeons, family planning officers, divisional directors, medical college hospital directors, and other health department officials across the country on Saturday.
He addressed the nation in a video broadcast on Facebook from the meeting.
“As health minister, I assure you, there is no need to panic about Russell's viper. Our hospitals have sufficient stocks of anti-venom. I have given clear instructions that there must be no shortage of anti-venom under any circumstances,” he said.
In the meeting, he emphasised the importance of quickly brought the snake bite victims to the hospitals. He said that prompt medical intervention can completely cure the patient.
The health minister stressed the importance of raising public awareness about snake bites.
The health minister also urged civil surgeons and health department staff to coordinate with members of parliament in their respective areas to enhance their efforts.
The meeting was attended by Md Jahangir Alam, secretary of the Health Services Division, Professor Dr Rubed Amin, director of the Health Directorate, and other experts from the health division.
Meanwhile, reports of Russell's viper sightings along the banks of the Padma and Meghna rivers have recently caused public alarm.
The specific data on the number of bites, deaths, or confirmations that these bites are from Russell’s vipers remain unavailable.
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