Centre wants States to make Snakebites Notifiable Disease

About Snake bite

• Snakebites can lead to acute medical emergencies that require immediate care.
• They can cause severe paralysis that can prevent breathing, can lead to a fatal hemorrhage, and damage different tissues.
• Snakebites need to be treated with antivenom to prevent death and severe symptoms.

Data on Snakebites in India

• India is home to 310 snake species, of which:
  • 66 are venomous.
  • 42 are mildly venomous.
  • 23 species are medically significant due to their fatal venom.
• ‘Big Four’ snakes cause 90% of bites: Indian cobra, Common krait, Russell’s viper & Saw-scaled viper.
• Commercial polyvalent antivenom is effective for 80% of snakebites caused by the Big Four.

National Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming (NAPSE)

• It was launched by the government in 2024 to halve snakebite deaths by 2030.
• It recommends making snakebites a notifiable disease.
• Major focus on high-risk states like: Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan, Gujarat.

What Are Notifiable Diseases?

• Diseases which are legally required to be reported to the government for public health action.
• Examples: Tuberculosis, HIV, cholera, malaria, dengue, and hepatitis.
• Criteria:
  • Likely to cause outbreaks.
  • Lead to significant deaths.
  • Require rapid public health interventions.

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