A FISHERMAN badly bitten by a crocodile in a remote part of Zambia is alive, thanks to a Singaporean medical and dental team.
The team, an informal group of doctors and dentists who go on overseas medical and dental missions every year, was in Zambia last month, to help a community there.

But the 10 doctors and dentists got more than they bargained for when they spent four hours saving the man, attacked by the croc on Sept 24.

The 26-year-old man was dragging a fish net in the Luangwa river, in the Luambe National Park, when the crocodile pounced. His friend used an oar to chase the crocodile away but by then the victim had suffered injuries to his limbs, back, buttocks, abdomen and groin.

The badly injured man was brought to the Singapore team's makeshift clinic.

'He lost a lot of blood. We kept pumping him with antibiotics and kept stitching until it was dark,' team leader Dr Myra Elliot said.

More routinely, the team attended to over 1,100 patients on its eight-day mission there. Medication was given out for free.

'However, the dental condition of the people was so poor that extractions seemed to be the order of the day,' Dr Elliot added. At least 600 teeth were extracted.