With the majority of snakebites occurring in countries located in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, venomous snakes are a major public health burden, particularly in low- and middle-income countries with tropical and subtropical climates.
According to one estimate, 58,000 people die from snake bites in India every year.
It is not always that people die from snake bites. Most victims survive, but millions of people each year suffer long-term health problems such as disability or disability from snakebites.
Debt burden
If a person is bitten by a snake, it can affect the whole family and the family members can become victims of poverty. In addition to the high cost of treatment, there is also the loss of income, especially if this is the victim’s primary source of income.
A study conducted in Bangladesh found that more than 60 percent of snakebite victims are forced to take loans for their treatment.
At the same time, more than two-thirds of victims in India had primary care costs that exceeded two weeks’ earnings.
50 percent of the victims were forced to sell their personal property, land and cattle or to disrupt their children’s education.
Important information
Between 18 and 27 lakh snakebites occur every year, resulting in 81,000 to 1,37,000 deaths.
For every person who loses their life, three suffer long-term and permanent disability
Agricultural workers and children are the most affected. More than one-third of all victims are under the age of 20
In India, between 2000 and 2019, 1.2 million people died from snakebites, that is, an average of 58,000 deaths per year.
The most effective means of protection against snake venom are not readily available in the most affected areas of the world. For example, only 3 percent of annual needs are available in sub-Saharan Africa.
Introduction to WHO
International Snakebite Awareness Day began in 2018, when it was felt that there was a need to raise more awareness about this often overlooked crisis.
However, the effort or awareness in this direction is not limited to just one day.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is committed to spreading awareness about the health problems caused by snake bites. In 2017, envenoming, a disease caused by snakebite, was added to the list of neglected tropical diseases.
To overcome this challenge, an important resolution was passed during the World Health Assembly in 2018, which focused on snakebite prevention and treatment.
The United Nations Health Organization’s strategy is to reduce snakebite deaths and disability by 50 percent by 2030, for which member countries are being helped to develop plans.
Impact of climate change
Working with experts around the world, WHO has developed a database of venomous snakes with information on their geographic distribution, treatment guidelines and essential products.
The United Nations Health Organization believes that the effects of climate change may affect venomous snake populations, their distribution, and their interactions with human populations.
This means that some species of snakes will be forced into new environments and local populations will see snakes that weren’t there before.