Bhubaneswar: Even after several awareness drives and campaigns, superstitious practices continue in several parts of the state. Some harrowing incidents have come to fore from Bankurisingha village in Dhenkanal district where a self-proclaimed healer, Sukhdev Barik has allegedly been administering treatment for critical illnesses.
In one such incident, Sarita Mohapatra of the village, who was bitten by a snake, went to Barik for treatment. Barik administered some oil to treat her wound; however the victim was left with black rashes and unbearable pain.
In a similar case, one Niranjan Behera had also reportedly consulted Sukhdev Barik after he had an encounter with a snake. Though he was not bitten by the snake, Barik allegedly gave him some medication which led to skin infection.
"We usually take people to him (Barik) for treatment but several patients have suffered side-effects," said a relative of Sarita Mohapatra.
"The local administration should send a medical team to the area as within 30-40 minutes of search, we found three such patients. We think there are many people who have developed infections after using Barik's treatment," said Subendu Mallick of snake helpline.
However, a confident Sukhdev Barik claimed, “If a patient develops rashes, it means he/she is bitten by a snake and my treatment acts as anti-venom.”
"There is no such ayurvedic treatment for snakebite. Odisha government has made available sufficient medicines and injections for such cases that too for free of cost," said Dhenkanal CDMO, Sujata Rani Mishra.
Medicine specialist Siddhart Dash said that such quacks (Sukhdev Barik) might be using alkali or acids that damage the skin. “Snakebite can never be treated by using such things. Such mode of treatment must be shunned by people,” added Dash.
(Edited By Bikram Keshari Jena)
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