Guwahati, 24th June: The tragic death of a nine-year-old girl from Gharoa-Sonapur in Sipajhar due to a snakebite has spotlighted significant deficiencies in the healthcare system of Darrang district. The incident, marred by alleged medical missteps and negligence, has sparked outrage among locals who believe her life could have been saved with timely and effective medical intervention.
The incident began when the young girl was bitten by a poisonous snake while sitting with her grandmother in Pirali during the afternoon. Her parents immediately rushed her to the Sipajhar Primary and Community Health Centre, where the attending doctor administered only a tetanus toxoid (TT) injection, assured them of her recovery, and sent them home.
As her condition worsened an hour later, the family was advised to take her to Mangaldoi Civil Hospital. Although she received an antivenom injection there, she did not get the necessary additional treatment and was subsequently referred to the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).
During the journey to GMCH, her condition deteriorated further, leading her parents to admit her to a private hospital at Baihata intersection, where doctors declared her dead. In a state of confusion and distress, the parents brought her home, only to later seek confirmation at GMCH, where doctors confirmed that the nine-year-old had indeed passed away earlier.
This heart-wrenching incident underscores the critical gaps in the local healthcare system, from the initial inadequate treatment to the lack of proper care at subsequent facilities, ultimately leading to a preventable tragedy.
Read More: Sikkim’s Chief Minister Proposes Himalayan Railway Line to Union Railway Minister