K'taka govt orders DCs to review audit of snake bite deaths to strengthen prevention programmes
Bengaluru, Apr 28 (PTI): The Karnataka government has authorised all Deputy Commissioners (DC) across districts to review the audit of the snakebite related deaths and take necessary measures to ensure effective implementation of National Programme for Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming (NPSE), officials said on Monday.
The move follows concerns raised by the health department, which stated that despite efforts to reduce the morbidity and mortality due to snakebite, the state "continues to face challenges in the implementation of the programme".
To address these challenges, the health department issued an order stating that the H1N1 death audit committee in the districts constituted under the official memorandum is also assigned with the responsibility of audit of deaths due to snakebite.
"All the Deputy Commissioners of the Districts are here by authorised to review the audit of the deaths due to snakebite in the committee already constituted under Official Memorandum. The Deputy Commissioners are here by directed to conduct review meetings of snakebite cases in the district at least once in every quarter and implementation of National Programme for Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming," it said in its official order.
In addition, the Deputy Commissioners of the districts have been directed to take necessary measures to correct the challenges noticed in the implementation of the NPSE.
According to the department, in Karnataka, the Snake Bite Prevention and Control Program was launched and implemented from 2023-24. On February 12, 2024, the state government declared snakebite deaths and cases notifiable under the Karnataka Epidemic Diseases Act, 2020.
In 2023, Karnataka reported 6,596 cases of snakebites and 19 deaths. After snakebite cases and deaths due to it were declared as "Notifiable disease" last year, the state reported 13,235 cases and 100 deaths in 2024.
The health department highlighted various measures taken by the state to reduce the morbidity and mortality due to snakebite --- such as -- ensuring availability of Anti Snake Venom (ASV) in sufficient stock starting from PHC (Primary Health Center) to district hospitals. Issuance of SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) to administer initial loading dose of 10 vials for all snakebite cases with signs and symptoms of snake bite envenomation. Physicians and Medical officers were trained at different levels for managing the snakebite cases.
"Despite all these measures taken, state is facing some challenges in the implementation of the program," the health department said, pointing out that reporting of cases and deaths due to snakebites is not 100 per cent as some of the medical colleges and private hospitals are not reporting all cases or there is delay in reporting.
It also cited that snakebite victims still seek treatment from traditional faith healers leading to loss of precious time, which is the main cause of death as per death analysis.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
