Snake bite declared notifiable disease in Tamil Nadu in push to reduce deaths

The government has invoked sections of the Tamil Nadu Public Health Act to declare snake bite as a notifiable disease. After the declaration, it would be mandatory for all hospitals to report data to it for prevention and treatment strategies to prevent deaths.

In Short

• Hospitals must report snake bite data to Tamil Nadu government after order
• Snake bites mainly affect rural populations in tropical regions in southern state
• Vulnerable groups include farmers and children in snake-prone areas

The Tamil Nadu government has declared snake bite as a notifiable disease in the state, thus making it mandatory for all government and private hospitals to report data to it for comprehensive prevention and treatment strategies like ramping up clinical infrastructure and allocation of anti-snake venom to prevent deaths.

Snake bite has been declared as a notifiable disease in the state under the Tamil Nadu Public Health Act, 1939. A Government Order (GO) to this effect was issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department on November 4 followed by a Gazette Notification published on November 6, a release here said on Friday.

"Snake bite envenomation is an acute life-threatening medical condition. It is a preventable public health condition often faced by rural population in tropical and subtropical countries," the release said.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has launched a global strategy for controlling snake bite-induced deaths and disabilities. And a National Action Plan for prevention and control of Snake bite Envenoming (NAPSE) launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare details the roadmap to halve snake bite deaths by 2030 through one health approach, it said.

"Snake bite causes high morbidity and mortality, with vulnerable populations such as agricultural workers, children and people living in snake-endemic regions being affected more," the release added.