Nine people from the southern part of Jhapa died of snake bites in the past four months, according to a data of the District Red Cross. Most of them died on their way to treatment.

Jhapa has only three snakebite treatment centres in Charaali, Kankai and Damak, all of which is located near the East-West Highway and not easily accessible by the residents of southern Jhapa.

Lokraj Dhakal, chairman of the District Red Cross, said, “The poor road condition in the rural part of Jhapa makes it difficult to reach hospitals on time. Most of the snake bite patients die on their way to treatment.”  One such case is that of Pooja Bhattarai. 14-year-old Bhattarai of Pathariya in Kachankawal Rural Municipality-2 died of snake bite on her way to the hospital on August 30.

“It took two hours to take my daughter to the nearest snake bite treatment centre from Pathariya,” said Sabitra Bhattarai, the victim’s mother. “She was talking to me on the way but lost consciousness and breathed her last due to delay in the treatment.”

Bhattarai believes that people’s lives can be saved if snake bite treatment units are opened all over the district.

Residents of Kechana, Pathariya, Gherabari, Pathamari, Balubadi, Rajgadh, Sharanamati, Chakchaki, Kumarkhod and Taghandubba of the southern part of Jhapa are at a high risk of dying due to delay in snake bite treatment. The locals have asked the local authority to establish more snake bite treatment centres time and again, but to no avail.

Ratna Budhathoki, a local teacher of Kachankawal, said, “Most people here are farmers. Snakes can bite us anytime, but, we are unable to receive treatment on time as there are no treatment centres nearby.”