The activity of “sending education to the grass-roots level” held by the Emergency Medical Branch of the Chinese Medical Association and the standardized treatment training class for Guangxi snakebite and acute poisoning were held. The number and species of poisonous snakes in Guangxi are among the top in the country. The activity aims to transfer the knowledge of snake wound treatment to grassroots medical personnel and people, and save more lives from snakes.

▲ The activity is aimed at popularizing the knowledge of snake bite treatment for grassroots medical personnel and ordinary people. Photographed by reporter Zhang Ruofan
According to the Diagnosis and Treatment Standards for Common Animal Bites issued by the National Health Commission in 2021, there are millions of cases of snake bites every year in China, 100000 to 300000 people are bitten by venomous snakes, more than 70% of them are young adults, 25% to 30% of them are disabled, and the mortality rate is as high as 5%. Guangxi is a high incidence area of venomous snake bites.
Professor Li Qibin, President of Guangxi Snake Research Association and the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, said that Guangxi is located in the subtropical zone, and the environment is very suitable for snakes to survive. Snakes bite is common. Unlike other animal bites, venomous snake bites are very urgent. For example, the king cobra, also known as “mountain breeze”, can kill the injured within 3 minutes at the earliest. Guangxi has witnessed an incident in which people died 5 minutes after being bitten by the king cobra. Therefore, timely and effective treatment can minimize the rate of death and disability.
According to reports, Guangxi has established an effective snake wound treatment network covering the whole region, including nine major snake wound treatment centers and more than ten sub centers. In addition, each county also has snake wound treatment points, which are equipped with antivenom and other snake wound treatment equipment and drugs.

▲ Identification contents of poisonous snakes and snake venoms displayed in the activity. Photographed by reporter Zhang Ruofan
However, the treatment of venomous snake bite needs to race against time, and more importantly, the first emergency treatment on site. Li Qibin said that some wrong handling methods would be counterproductive. Someone who was bitten by a poisonous snake ran away because of fear, or tried to force the poison out by drinking, which would accelerate the blood circulation and cause the snake poison to spread faster. Others do not send people to the hospital immediately after being bitten, but go to look for snake medicine, folk herbal medicine, etc. These drugs, whether applied externally or taken internally, have a slow effect, which will delay precious treatment opportunities. Therefore, scientific treatment knowledge must not only be taught to grassroots medical personnel, but also be passed on to the people.
Professor Lv Chuanzhu, the chairman of the Emergency Medicine Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, said that the activity in Guangxi was mainly aimed at grassroots medical personnel and the general public, popularizing the standardized snake bite treatment process, and carrying out relevant epidemiological surveys to master the number of snake bites, the proportion of venomous snake bites, the rate of death and disability, etc. each year, so as to form a snake bite map and atlas for medical personnel The public provides more detailed guidance on prevention and treatment of snake bites.
Post time: Nov-13-2022