International Information

In Viet Nam, venomous bites and stings are a much bigger threat to health than in Australia. In fact it is estimated that the snakebite fatality rate is 10-100 times higher in Viet Nam than in Australia with a minimum of 5,000 deaths and 30,000 hospital admissions each year. The AVRU, in collaboration with Professor Gopalakrishnakone of the National University of Singapore, CSL IH Group's Tim Carroll, Associate Professor George Braitberg of the Austin Hospital in Melbourne, and Dr Trinh Xiem Kiem of the National Poison Centre in Ha Noi, Viet Nam, are working to reduce the burden from snakebite in Viet Nam. Dr Bill Nimorakiotakis, AVRU's Clinical Deputy Director, and Tim Carroll (a collaborator with the AVRU) were invited to Ha Noi in March 2005, to participate in a national workshop on venomous bites and stings. Various research projects are planned to improve snakebite control in Viet Nam.