The snakebite crisis in India is a tragic reality that claims the lives of tens of thousands of individuals every single year.
Just an hour ago, we learned about the harrowing experience of Devendra, a farmer from India who vividly recalls the terrifying moment when a snake bit his leg while he was gathering mulberry leaves.
"I sought medical help four days after the bite because the pain became unbearable. Unfortunately, that delay resulted in the loss of my leg," he shares in a poignant short film created by the Global Snakebite Taskforce (GST), an organization dedicated to minimizing fatalities and injuries caused by snakebites.
Devendra’s story is one of survival, yet he is among a fortunate few. According to reports from the Indian government, approximately 50,000 people succumb to snakebites each year, accounting for about half of the global total. Some estimates indicate that the actual number could be even higher, suggesting that from 2000 to 2019, India may have experienced up to 1.2 million deaths resulting from snakebites—an average of around 58,000 annually, as highlighted in a study published in 2020.
A recent report by GST reveals that a staggering 99% of healthcare practitioners in India encounter significant difficulties in administering antivenom—the crucial treatment that counteracts venom toxicity. In a survey conducted with 904 medical professionals across India, Brazil, Indonesia, and Nigeria—the countries most afflicted by snakebites—common obstacles were identified: inadequate infrastructure, limited accessibility to antivenom, and insufficient training.
Nearly half of those surveyed admitted that delays in administering treatment had resulted in severe complications for their patients, including amputations and chronic mobility issues. The report further emphasizes that snakebites predominantly impact impoverished rural populations in low- and middle-income nations.
Strike Out Snakebite
In India, the central and eastern regions witness the highest rates of snakebite fatalities and injuries. Dr. Yogesh Jain, a GST member and medical practitioner in Chhattisgarh, points out that individuals working on farms, especially those from marginalized tribal communities, are particularly at risk.
In 2024, the country launched the National Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming (NAPSE), aiming to reduce snakebite deaths by half by the year 2030. This initiative focuses on enhancing surveillance, improving access to antivenom, bolstering medical capabilities, and promoting public awareness campaigns.
While experts acknowledge that this is a positive development, they express concerns over inconsistent implementation.
"In India, snakebites are often regarded as an issue faced only by the impoverished," Jain observes. "This perception leads to a lack of urgency and action regarding these preventable tragedies. When it comes to treating snakebites, every second counts."
He explains that snake venom can enter the bloodstream within minutes, adversely affecting nerves, cells, or the circulatory system based on the type of snake. Delays in administering antivenom can lead to respiratory failure, paralysis, irreversible tissue damage, or even organ failure.
Unfortunately, delays in reaching hospitals are common in rural parts of India, where poor road conditions, distant healthcare facilities, and a shortage of ambulance services hinder prompt treatment. Just last September, a heartbreaking incident occurred in Gujarat state, where a pregnant woman tragically died after being carried for 5 kilometers (3 miles) in a cloth sling to reach a hospital due to the absence of vehicular access.
Jain notes that some states are making efforts to improve access to antivenom by stocking it in primary and community health centers. However, the correct administration of antivenom poses another significant challenge. Many healthcare workers lack proper training and are apprehensive about giving antivenom because some patients can experience adverse reactions.
"The antivenom must be diluted with saline and administered intravenously over the course of an hour, yet numerous centers lack the necessary resources to manage potential side effects," Jain explains.
Another contributing factor is that many individuals in rural India still turn to faith healers or traditional medicinal practices and only seek hospital care when their condition deteriorates, which can prove fatal.
The Liana Trust
Gerry Martin, co-founder of The Liana Trust, which seeks to mitigate human-snake conflicts in Karnataka state, identifies the availability of high-quality antivenom as another major obstacle.
Currently, India produces antivenom that only targets the so-called "big four" snakes—the spectacled cobra, common krait, Russell's viper, and saw-scaled viper—which are believed to account for the majority of bites. Martin explains that the antivenom is created by injecting venom from these species into horses, whose antibodies are then harvested for human treatment.
However, there exist numerous other venomous snake species in India that lack targeted antivenom. This includes the green pit viper found in Himachal Pradesh, the Malabar pit viper, and the hump-nosed pit viper located in various southern states, along with many other species in the northeastern regions.
A study conducted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, last year underscored this issue. It discovered that when antivenom designed for treating bites from saw-scaled vipers was administered to 105 patients whose snake species remained unidentified, two-thirds did not respond favorably to treatment. The study concluded there is a pressing need for region-specific antivenom in western India.
For the past five years, The Liana Trust has been researching venoms from species beyond the big four to develop effective antidotes. However, Martin notes that progress has been slow due to the labor-intensive and lengthy nature of the process. He advocates for states to follow the example set by the Karnataka government in 2024, which mandated that snakebites be classified as a "notifiable disease," requiring health professionals to report incidents to the authorities, thus addressing the problem of underreporting.
Jain concurs, stating, "The challenges surrounding snakebite fatalities begin where political will falters. Governments must ensure that the underprivileged do not receive subpar healthcare. They deserve much better."
Isn't it time we all took a closer look at this urgent public health crisis and demanded more for those affected? What steps do you think need to be taken to address this life-threatening issue?
