The rainy season of the year is also the best time when pineapples grow in abundance and when this season happens around this time of the year, all the snakes start to come out as well especially Papuan Blacks and that is when the snake bites are frequent in the Central Province.
Moreguina Health Centre in Abau District, Central Province has been receiving snake bite victims since November.
OIC Ravu Kapa said snake bites have been happening frequently because of the wet season and in a week, about 2-3 snake bite victims have been brought into the health Centre however to date, no one has died of snake bite yet.
Mr Kapa says the health centre is expecting more cases of snake bites and he is asking the people in Moreguina to be very careful when out and about and is encouraging them to cut overgrown bushes along the paths and beside their houses to keep snakes away.
“Those who are going to their gardens to harvest pineapples during this rainy season must be very careful because pineapple gardens attract snakes and it is one of the places where anyone can get bitten easily,” said Mr Kapa.
He further urged parents to be very mindful of their little kids and to stop the kids from playing in the grass near their homes.
“Everyone must wear shoes when walking through bush tracks especially little children,” he added.
Mr Kapa said the health centre’s only ambulance is no longer in operation and it will be very hard to transfer snake victims to Port Moresby General Hospital or any nearby health centres on time.
The OIC added that with the bad road conditions and the increase in bus fare to travel to Port Moresby, a snake bite can be very fatal as time taken to reach the nearest health centre may take longer than expected.
“This snake season is not only rampant in Moreguina and Abau District, but almost most parts of the Central Province who are experiencing snake bites and so taking the necessary precautions and safety practices is very important,” Mr Kapa said.
Image Source: Charles Campbell Toxinology Center