Youth dies of snakebite as CHC runs out of medicine

Tribune News Service

Ropar, July 20

A 16-year-old youth, identified as Amritpal Singh, died due to a snakebite as the anti-snake venom injections were out of stock at the local government hospital in nearby Nurpur Bedi on Thursday.

Protesting against this negligence on part of the Health Department officials, a large number of youth, led by advocate and RTI activist Dinesh Chadha, took out a protest march in the markets of Nurpur Bedi on Saturday.

Barinder Singh, brother of the deceased, said Amritpal was bitten by a snake on Thursday evening at their native village, Brahman Majra, following which he was rushed to a private practitioner at Nurpur Bedi. The doctor told him that the anti-snakebite injection was not available. Amritpal was then taken to the local Community Health Centre (CHC). Barinder alleged that a doctor came to examine Amritpal after 20 minutes, only to say that the anti-snakebite injection was out of stock.

The victim was referred to the Ropar Civil Hospital, but he died on the way.

Meanwhile, the protesters went to the CHC and met Senior Medical Officer (SMO) Shiv Kumar, demanding that he fix the responsibility of Health Department staff.

Shiv Kumar, however, denied any lapse on the part of hospital management and said an inquiry would be conducted in the allegations of the protesters.