Zero Snake Bite Deaths in Narayangaon and districts of Pune, Maharashtra
| Meeting Date | 26 Oct 2023 |
| Meeting Time | 07:00:00 |
| Location | Poona Club |
| Meeting Type | Regular |
| Meeting Topic | Zero Snake Bite Deaths in Narayangaon and districts of Pune, Maharashtra |
| Meeting Agenda | 1. National Anthem 2. Presidents Address 3. Greetings 4.Secretaty,s announcements 5. Any other announcements 6. Guest speaker |
| Chief Guest | Dr. Sadanand Raut and Dr. Mrs Pallavi Raut |
| Club Members Present | 26 |
| Minutes of Meeting | Dr Sadanand Raut and Dr Pallavi Raut are a doctor couple who run Vighnahar Nursing Home, Dr Minoo Mehta Memorial Hospital, Narayangaon, District Pune, Maharashtra, India. Dr Raut shared his experiences and how he has saved lives of people who were victims of snake bites. He is an MD Cardiologist and Toxicologist; hence he came to Narayangaon to set up a Heart and Diabetes Hospital, but seeing so many people dying of snake bites in this area, he decided to work on the issue of saving these victims, in the rural areas of Tehsil Junnar, Pune. This was a new subject for him and needed a lot of study and research. Dr Raut took help from the noted expert Dr David Warrell as to how he should treat victims of snake bite in the rural areas and how to get people to the hospital for treatment. First step was public awareness…through talks given to rural teachers and students from schools, colleges and hostels social gatherings etc. medical officers and nurses were given training to treat such patients. First step was public awareness…through talks given to rural teachers and students from schools, colleges and hostels social gatherings etc. medical officers and nurses were given training to treat such patients. Initially they had to bust the myths and beliefs of the people. They made the people realize that going to faith healers was a wrong way of treatment, and were made to understand that only those victims who were bitten by non-venomous snakes survived, others were just left to die at the temple. With a lot of hard work this doctor couple has been successful in getting these victims to their hospital and have saved 6000 snake bite victims over 3 decades. The anti-snake venom is a life-saving drug and it should be used in a proper dose and at proper time, "Deaths due to snakebite can be prevented if a patient is brought to a nearest health facility for anti-snake venom administration. It is crucial to administer the dose within the golden hour period." He said they have been creating awareness among people that prevention is the key to avoiding snakebite incidents. “We ask people to wear gumboots and gloves while working, avoid sleeping on the floor and use beds with nets." We hope Dr Sadanand Raut and his wife are successful in this mission of “zero snake bite deaths.” |
