Bitten by snake, student dies for want of med aid

Yavatmal: Aditya Ravi Tekam (12), a Std VI student of Government Ashram Shala, died of snake bite on the school premises at Antargaon village due to absence of immediate medical care on Sunday.
A lot of time was lost in shifting the victim from one hospital to another.
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has taken cognisance of the incident and ordered a probe by chairman of Vasantrao Naik Shetkari Swalamban Mission Kishor Tiwari.The CM has asked Tiwari to submit a report on the circumstances that led to the boy’s death.
Initially, Aditya was rushed to the Public Health Centre (PHC) at Methikheda village, about 3km from the school, but there was no doctor to attend him. He was then rushed to the Government Medical College in Yavatmal city, 35km from the PHC, in a critical condition.
The GMC Dean Dr Ashok Rathod put him on ventilator, but there was no facility to examine his blood and hence he was soon referred to Sanjeevan Hospital in city. By then, the poison had spread throughout his body, leading to the boy’s death.
Tiwari cut short his tour of Marathwada region and visited the aggrieved family in Kelapur tehsil. He consoled them and handed over the government’s financial aid to the parents.
Tiwari then visited the PHC and the Ashram Shala, where around 250 tribals children are enrolled.
When contacted, Tiwari said the condition of the all the Ashram Shalas in the district is same and added that he would soon submit his report.
“I also visited the Ashram Shalas of Sibla and Matharjun villages in Kelapur tehsil. Snakes, scorpions and other poisonous reptiles have made their homes in the grass around the schools and hostels. No one has been deployed to cut the grass,” Tiwari said.
He added, “There are no toilets for students, particularly for girls in these Ashram Shalas, which is shocking. Strict action would be taken against the concerned authorities for lapses.”
“The doctor in-charge at the PHC would also be taken to task and action would be taken,” Tiwari said.