Janakpur hospital director transferred after snakebite death amid ICU shortage

The director of Janakpur Provincial Hospital, Dr Jamun Prasad Singh, has been transferred to the Madhesh Ministry of Health and Population following the death of a snakebite patient who was reportedly referred elsewhere due to an intensive care unit (ICU) shortage.Dr Singh, a 10th-level senior consultant paediatrician and director of the hospital under the Madhesh Institute of Health Sciences, was moved for work duties. The Chief Minister and Council of Ministers’ Office transferred Singh to the ministry and assigned Dr Indrajit Kumar Rajak, a 10th-level medical superintendent previously at the ministry, to take charge of the hospital.The transfer comes after the death of 25-year-old Mahesh Yadav of Mujeliya, Janakpurdham Sub-Metropolitan City-14. Yadav arrived at the provincial hospital on the night of September 29 after being bitten by a snake. He had ridden his scooter to the hospital himself. He received 10 doses of anti-snake venom, but his condition worsened, requiring intensive care.Hospital authorities reportedly referred him to other facilities, stating that no ICU beds were available. Yadav was subsequently taken to two other hospitals, but treatment could not be provided there either. He was eventually transported to the Snakebite Treatment Centre in Bardibas, Mahottari, where doctors declared him dead.The incident has drawn widespread criticism of Janakpur Provincial Hospital regarding its handling of the case and its lack of ICU capacity. This event highlights a broader issue in Madhesh Province, which has seen a rising number of snakebite incidents. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), Nepal recorded 57 deaths and 709 injuries from snakebites between April 14 and August 4. In Madhesh Province alone, 122 snakebite incidents and 21 deaths have been registered since April.The Snakebite Treatment Centre in Bardibas, Mahottari, where Yadav was ultimately declared dead, has also been experiencing a shortage of anti-snake venom since September 14, affecting services for patients from Madhesh and eight hilly districts. The centre cannot purchase the medicine itself as the state is responsible for its supply.The Madhesh provincial government distributes 98 types of medicines free of charge to 12 provincial hospitals, eight health offices, and federal hospitals within the province. The Provincial Health Supply Management Centre in Janakpur has informed the ministry and department about the anti-snake venom shortage and has been assured of an early supply.Statistics from 2016 to 2026 show 1,678 snakebite incidents and 301 deaths, resulting in a mortality rate of 17.93 percent. In the fiscal year 2025/26, Nepal recorded 10,144 snakebite cases, an increase from 8,118 cases in 2024/25. As of January 11, 2026, 96 deaths due to snakebites have been reported across Nepal.It remains unclear how many ICU beds are available at Janakpur Provincial Hospital, and the names of the other two hospitals where Mahesh Yadav was referred are not specified. The duration of the anti-snake venom shortage at the Bardibas treatment centre is also uncertain, and further details on specific steps taken by the Madhesh Health and Population Ministry to address the medicine shortage are not yet available.