THATTA, Nov 2: Apart from negligence of doctors, the main cause of deaths of snake-bite victims in hospitals is shortage of anti-snake venom provided by the provincial and federal health departments.

This was observed by District and Session Judge Dr Qamaruddin Bohra in concluding remarks while disposing of an application here on Tuesday.

Arib Kandhro, resident of Abdul Aziz Kandhra village, had filed the application against Dr Amir Ahmed Shah, Dr Qamar Baran, Dr Narain Das Bansari and dispenser Mohammad Khan Khatti of the Sujawal taluka hospital.

According to the application, Arib's son Hussain Kandra, after being bitten by a cobra, was taken to the hospital where he was not immediately provided medical treatment by the doctors and paramedics and their criminal negligence resulted in his death.

The court observed that an inquiry committee, constituted by the health EDO, had already furnished report to the district nazim and provincial health secretary, declaring the respondents guilty and recommending penalties to them. Since the report was pending with the officers concerned, hence, the application merited no consideration, it added.

The court, in its order, held the provincial health secretary and the central government equally responsible for the death of the snake-bite victim. It remarked that if the ASV was regularly supplied to the district hospitals, it could save lives of snake-bite victims.

It urged the provincial health secretary and director of the National Institute of Health, Islamabad, to ensure regular supply of the ASV to the Thatta hospitals.

Referring to the statistics provided by the district health officers, the court said that from Jan 11, 2003, to Sept 31, 2004, the district health office had received 3,221 vials of the ASV against the required 9700 vials and issued 1,972 vials to the Thatta hospitals.

According to the official data, five snake-bite victims died and 1,183 were treated at the district hospitals whereas 117 referred to hospitals outside the district during the period.