Reduced snakebite fatalities in India would result from effective interventions by the government and other stakeholders
Snakebite is a major cause of death and disability globally. It has become a neglected public health issue in many tropical and sub-tropical countries. According to the estimates provided by the World Health Organization (WHO), there are roughly 5.4 million snake bites each year, which result in 1.8 to 2.7 million cases of envenoming. Each year, snake bites result in between 81,000 and 138,000 fatalities and other long-term disabilities worldwide.
According to data, nearly 2 million people in Asia are envenomed by snakes yearly. In Africa, it is estimated that 435,000 to 580,000 snake bites take place annually.
India, a tropical country, has the greatest number of snakebite incidents and fatalities globally. This has made India the country with the most prevalent incidence of snakebites. As per the ‘Accidental Deaths & Farm Suicides in India’ report, 10,450 snakebite cases were reported in India in 2021, out of which 10,382 people died and 64 were injured. Out of the deaths caused by snake bites in India, 6,432 males and 3,950 females lost their lives during the same year. Moreover, the data confirms that Madhya Pradesh ranked first in terms of deaths due to snake bites (2,732), followed by Odisha (1,019), Chhattisgarh (909), and Uttar Pradesh (844) during 2021.
According to the report, ‘Trends in snakebite deaths in India from 2000 to 2019 in a nationally representative mortality study,’ 2.8 million snakebite cases are reported in India each year. In addition, more than 1.2 million people died from snakebites between 2000 and 2019, accounting for an average of 58,000 deaths per annum. The study shows that up to 94 per cent of all snakebite-related deaths occur in rural India. The report also reveals that eight states, i.e., Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat, are responsible for 70 per cent of all deaths related to snakebites during the rainy season.
Snakebites are more common in tropical regions and primarily in agricultural and densely forested areas because poisonous snakes live in these areas. Even though most of the species of snakes found in India are non-venomous, the Indian cobra, the Common Krait, Russell’s Viper, and the Saw-scaled Viper are extremely poisonous snakes. The data shows that poor and rural populations are particularly vulnerable to snakebites. Most snakebites happen while people travel, work in the agricultural fields, or even sleep in their houses at night. Due to the lack of transportation and proper healthcare facilities in many rural parts of the country, the rural population is more susceptible to snakebites.
People who suffered from snake bites died mainly for two reasons: no access to antivenom and considerable delay in getting the antivenom injection.
In some cases, people eventually turn to traditional therapies and witchcraft to treat patients suffering from snakebites instead of modern medical facilities. Many of India’s most severely affected states also lack the facilities necessary to access the antivenoms that must be administered immediately.
The number of snakebite-related cases is highly under-reported because of the government’s apathy towards proper documentation and lack of research. Another problem is a lack of resources and wide enough antivenom distribution in rural hospitals. Because of the lack of medical equipment and trained personnel in primary healthcare facilities, the situation is worsening.
In 2017, the WHO classified snakebite poisoning as a neglected tropical disease to tackle the issues. In 2019, a global project began to reduce the number of fatalities and disabilities caused by snakebite poisoning by half by 2030.
The Indian Council of Medical Research constituted a National Task Force in 2020 to conduct research on snakebites in India and initiated a program to build adequate capacity in the healthcare system.
Snakebite deaths in India can be decreased through community education, the provision of better health facilities, adequate medical staff training, and better provision of antivenom. Policymakers and governments must pay attention to the long-term, enduring impacts of snakebites and the financial cost imposed on society due to the same. In 2015, the Government of Odisha declared snakebites ‘State Specific Disasters.’ It provided ex-gratia assistance of Rs 4 lakh per deceased to the next kin of the victim.
This form of financial assistance is not adequate to save human life against snakebites. In addition to the ex-gratia assistance, there are other critical needs for preventing deaths. These include antivenom availability at the village-level health center, creating a massive awareness campaign, and implementing a national action plan.
(Prakash Kumar Sahoo is a Lecturer of Economics at Vikram Deb College, Jeypore, Odisha; Joyita Roy Chowdhury & Yashobanta Parida are Assistant Professors of Economics at FLAME University, Pune.)
