| Dr. S. VIJAYA KUMAR I.A.S., Special Secretary to Government Health & Family Welfare Dept., & Project Director |
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Tamil Nadu Health Systems Project 7th Floor, DMS Building, Chennai – 600 006. Tel. Off : (91-44) 2434 5997 Fax : (91-44) 2434 5997 Email : mail@tnhsp.net |
Introduction
The Tamil Nadu Health Systems Project formed a snake bite task force in 2006 to try and understand the staggering fi gures that were surfacing on snake bite and scorpion sting cases in Tamil Nadu. During the effort, it was apparent that despite morbidity and mortality, an evidence based handbook on treatment guidelines was not available to medical offi cers as a ready reckoner in dealing with affected persons.
A committee was then formed to prepare guidelines to treat snake bite and
scorpion sting with the assistance of the Health & Family Welfare department and in particular the Poison Control, Training and Research Treatment Centre in Government General Hospital, Chennai. The Committee has prepared this Handbook after several rounds of discussion and has also subjected this document to a peer review.
This handbook will help to redefi ne patient care for those who suffer from
snake bite and scorpion sting and will be useful for health care providers, patients and policy makers. Information provided in the following pages range from epidemiological issues, clinical features, treatment modalities, management of complications, referral aspects medical audit, research areas and so on.
With this handbook, we hope to ensure that a major information gap is
adequately plugged so as to ensure rational medical treatment and appropriate quality of care for snake bite and scorpion sting victims.
Dr. S. VIJAYA KUMAR
November 2008
Chennai.