By PR | 06:35 PM October 24, 2024
Bohol is in mourning following the tragic death of a three year child who succumbed to two-cobra bites in Loon last week. This heartbreaking incident has led to a call from Attorney Jordan Pizarras, known as “Tigpanalipud sa mga Bol-anon” (Protector of Boholanos), for the immediate stocking of Philippine cobra anti-venom in district hospitals to prevent future fatalities.
Pizarras visited the wake of the young victim in the mountain barangay of Bagakay Kawayan, Loon town to offer his condolences, expressing deep sorrow over the loss and stressing the urgency of action.
“The death of a child is a tragedy that should not happen again,” Atty. Pizarras said. “While cobras play an important role in controlling the rat population, we must prioritize protecting human lives. We need a balance—conserving wildlife while ensuring that our hospitals are equipped to save lives when snake bites occur.”
The child, bitten by a cobra, was not immediately sent to the Loon District Hospital but was first treated by a local ‘mananambal’ . before being sent to the hospital. By then paralysis had set in – too late to save the young life and she was later on declared dead – after she had flat-lined on the electro-cardiogram ( ecg) and even after efforts by the medical staff to revive her.
Dr. Fruserma Mary Uy, Officer-in-Charge of the Provincial Health Office (PHO), emphasized the need for rapid medical intervention in case like these.
“In snake bites, time is of the essence. Delays, especially due to seeking alternative treatments, often cost lives,” Dr. Uy explained.
Currently, anti-venom is only stocked at Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital in Tagbilaran, which is far from some of Bohol’s rural areas. Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado has responded to the call for wider access by instructing the PHO to stock anti-venom in strategic locations, including Tubigon, Loon, Talibon, Ubay, Jagna and other towns.
Attorney Pizarras has strongly supported this initiative, advocating for a balance between the preservation of the cobra, which plays a vital role in maintaining ecological balance by preying on rodents, and ensuring public safety.
“Cobras help control the rat population, which benefits the agricultural sector. But our first responsibility is to human life. We need to ensure that anti-venom is accessible in every corner of Bohol to prevent such tragedies,” he said.
Dr. Uy noted the logistical challenges of storing anti-venom. “These are anti-toxins that require specialized storage and handling by trained personnel. Anti-venom must be kept at the right temperature, and it has a limited shelf life,” she said, adding that the PHO is working on a procurement strategy to ensure a sufficient but manageable stock in Bohol’s hospitals.
The anti-venom can only be accessed from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), and it is not mass-produced, meaning careful planning is necessary.
