Management of Snakebite and Research Management of Snakebite ...

Health education is focused on:
• Prevention of snake bites, admini-stration of antivenom and intensive care
management are not 100% successful. (At the same time, cautioning against killing
off of snakes stressing on the snakes contribution to medicine, the environment
and rodent control).
• Identification of poisonous snakes and features of envenoming, as this aids in the
prompt management of the patient, reducing mortality.
• What to do when bitten by a snake. The teaching of practical methods of first aid
using instantly available material and why it should be done. Focal groups such as
medical personnel, NGOs religious groups are targeted, as they are the groups
capable of spreading the technique in the community.
• Care of the envenomed patient: Education of medical personnel regarding the
care of the envenomed patient.
This led to a fall in morbidity to less than 8 000 poisonous snake bites a year (from
more than 10 000 in 1991).
• Multiplier training courses bi annually in prevention, identification, first aid and
management in the case of health personnel.
• Practical training courses are conducted in the snakebite control center in Sanpya
Hospital to doctors in endemic areas in the management of snakebite, assessment
and treatment providing hands on experience in peritoneal dialysis and
witnessing of haemo-dialysis. All divisions have been covered but not well. The
courses continue. This training also improves the skills and quality of health care
in other patients with renal failure.
• All available media for public education. Multimedia for mass education, radio
talks once a year, Television programmes viewed on national and Myawaddy
channels with nationwide coverage.
• Magazine and newspaper articles one a year or more.
Snakebite Control in Myanmar
• Production and distribution of health education material. This is distributed during
training courses, to snakebite victims and their attendants through the ministries
of Information, Transport, develop-ment of national races and border areas,
education, agriculture, school health, occupational health, Central Health
Education Bureau, NGOs, Maternal and Child Welfare Asso-ciations, Red Cross,
Patients and attendants in the wards, video houses.
Health Education Materials Produced and Distributed Since 1994
(1) Myanmar and the danger of poisonous snakes in Myanmar 30,000 copies
(2) Snakebite control for primary health care providers English 4,000 copies
(3) Posters on first aid 6,000 copies
(4) Poster on prevention 4,000 copies
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