CHM Caring for those in Need

Nemu Chand, a twenty-five year old male from Bemetara in Mungeli district, was sleeping in his bed when a snake fell from the roof and bit his left hand. Although the incident took place around two o’clock in the morning and despite the fact that he’d become unconscious immediately after receiving the bite, Nemu was not taken to Christian Hospital Mungeli until nearly six hours later as it was hard to reach the hospital due to a lack of transport and communication. When Nemu was brought to CHM, he was in critical condition and on admission his breathing was not sufficient to keep him alive and thus was immediately put on a ventilator.  At approximately eight o’clock on July 26,2013,  Nemu received five vials of anti-snake venom. Unconscious and convulsing,  he was placed on a ventilator then later underwent a tracheostomy procedure. Over the next several hours, he received several more vials of anti-snake venom, but the situation still seemed grim. Throughout the following days he continued to receive the utmost care from the CHM staff, and he began to slowly show some improvement. His convulsions stopped, he opened his eyes after several days of being completely unresponsive, and he was taken off of the ventilator. Although Nemu was in a very serious condition, he completely recovered. With the help of the CHM staff and the support of his father and wife, Nemu’s family is glad that he will be able to return home and continue working on the farm.

Raje Shwari is a thirty-eight year old wife and mother of three children. One afternoon she was assisting her husband with some tasks around the family farm when, suddenly, she felt an “electric current” shoot through her right foot. Not long after she noticed the pain, Raje recognized that she had been stung by a scorpion–a common occurrence during monsoon season.  She was first taken to the “village doctor” who used his traditional medicine, however she continued to deteriorate.  Friends and family rushed her to a nearby government hospital. While at the hospital, a doctor gave her an unidentified injection. Although her family had hoped that the medicine would help, Raje appeared to take a turn for the worse. After receiving the injection, she was unable to speak normally and was confused. In desperate hopes for some kind of treatment that would help, her friend brought her from Chakapendra village to CHM via motorcycle.   When she came to CHM she was cold and clammy in shock due to the scorpion sting.  After admission in the ICU and several days of treatment at CHM, Raje completely recovered. She was able to return home to her family and begin work around the family farm once again.