Centre’s big decision regarding snake bite cases, appeals to states also

Modi government: The Central Government has appealed to all the states to declare snakebite as a notifiable disease. Apart from this, it has been made mandatory for all health facilities to report such cases and deaths.

Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava, in a letter sent to all states and union territories, has said that incidents of snakebite are a matter of public health concern and in some cases they lead to death, morbidity and disability.

Center requested the states

The Center has requested the States to declare snakebite as a ‘notifiable disease’ under the relevant provisions of the State public health laws or other recognized laws, so that all government and private health facilities (including medical colleges) provide information on snakebite. It should become mandatory to report every suspected, probable case and resulting death. It has been said in the letter that apart from others, farmers and tribal population are also at greater risk in this regard.

Central government started the scheme

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has also taken a big step to deal with snakebite cases. The ministry has also launched a National Action Plan for the prevention and control of snakebite poisoning in India by 2030. The aim of this scheme is to halve the number of deaths due to snake bites by 2030.

50 thousand deaths occur in India

According to World Health Organization data, every year there are 54 lakh incidents of snakebites all over the world. Every year, 20 lakh cases of snake bites and poisoning are reported in Asia alone. At the same time, 70 percent of deaths due to snakebites across the world are seen in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Every year 50 thousand people die due to snakebite in India.

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