| The World Health Organization estimates that about 5 million snakebites occur each year, with as many as 2.7 million cases involving venomous snakes. Reports suggest that between 81,000 and 138,000 people die each year globally as a result, with roughly half of all deaths occurring in India. Around 90% of snakebites in India are caused by the 'big four' among the crawlers — common krait, Indian cobra, Russell's viper and saw scaled viper. The majority of cases occur in villages as farmers work in fields, with little awareness of dealing with the reptiles, according to the Tropical Institute of Ecological Sciences.  A Cobra, from left, saw scaled viper, Krait and Russell's viper displayed at venom extraction center in Chennai, India. Photographer: Arun Sankar/AFP/Getty Images Although highly effective treatments exist in the form of antivenoms, many cases go unreported or untreated — making snakebites a neglected public health issue in the world's most-populous nation. While antivenoms are included in the WHO Essential Medicines List and should be part of any primary health-care package where snake bites occur, the lack of data leads to under-estimation of antivenom needs by health authorities, driving down demand for manufacturers to produce antivenom products, according to WHO. But in November, the federal health ministry asked Indian states to classify snakebites as a 'notifiable disease,' in turn making it compulsory for all government and private healthcare centers to report all suspected cases and deaths to local governments. That will aid in data collection and accelerate public health efforts in curbing the poisoning.  Venom is extracted from a cobra. Photographer: Arun Sankar/AFP/Getty Images "Making it a notifiable disease is something we've been working on for a long, long time," said Romulus Whitaker, an American-born Indian herpetologist. "Not that much effort has gone into controlling and preventing snakebite because governments didn't realize how big the issue was," said the 81-year-old Whitaker, who's authored a study on snakebite mortality. "The health authorities are guided by statistics." With the latest notification, data should start pouring in and will likely aid authorities in dealing with the disease and ensure availability of anti-venom in local health centers as well as paramedics who can administer the required treatment. The notification — along with a national action plan launched in March to deal with snakebite poisoning — will support WHO's target of halving global deaths and disabilities by 2030.  A Russell's viper snake stuck under a tractor in a field in the outskirts of Bangalore. Photographer: Manjunath Kiran/AFP/Getty Images Despite the optimism brought by the health ministry's move, educating and training farmers — the most affected population — to identify the four deadly snakes remains a key issue for India, nicknamed 'Snakebite capital of the world.' "It is about being able to identify the snakes, getting people to understand snakes' habits and how to avoid them," Whitaker said. — Satviki Sanjay | 
No comments:
Post a Comment