Snakebite incidents in Tamil Nadu impact agricultural workers, children, and residents of snake-endemic regions.
Published Nov 09, 2024 | 12:10 AM ⚊ Updated Nov 09, 2024 | 9:59 AM
Five-year-old Anganwadi student dies from snakebite, sparking outrage over safety negligence (Wikimedia Commons)
In a significant move, the Tamil Nadu government has made snakebite a notifiable disease under the Tamil Nadu Public Health Act, 1939.
The decision is expected to improve efforts to effectively monitor and handle snakebites throughout the state. The government has issued a gazette notification, making snakebites a notifiable disease on 4 November.
A notifiable disease is one that, when diagnosed, requires health providers (usually by law) to report to state or local public health officials.
A media statement from the government said the decision was made in response to increased snakebite envenomation as a serious yet avoidable public health concern that mostly affects rural communities in tropical areas.
The statement recommended methods to lower the number of snakebite-related fatalities and impairments.
To increase data accuracy and enable improved clinical and logistical planning for snakebite care, Tamil Nadu plans to make snakebites reportable. This new regulation requires all hospitals, both public and private, notify the state government of all snakebite cases or fatalities.
These reports will be incorporated into the Integrated Health Information Platform-Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IHIP-IDSP). for thorough and focused public health interventions.
Snakebite incidents in Tamil Nadu impact agricultural workers, children, and residents of snake-endemic regions.
With the reporting of snakebites made mandatory, the government expects to bolster anti-snake venom (ASV) distribution, infrastructure, and emergency response in areas where the risk is highest. Increased data collection on snakebite cases and outcomes will enable health authorities to allocate resources more effectively and improve patient outcomes.
The media statement said experts in public health have emphasised the importance of this policy shift for shaping better public health policies and awareness.
Enhanced data will assist in building targeted educational campaigns to promote prompt and appropriate medical intervention and reduce reliance on traditional remedies, which can delay life-saving treatment.
The notification of snakebites as a disease requiring mandatory reporting follows a broader push across India to address the underreporting and management of this neglected tropical disease.
Health advocates hope that other states will soon adopt similar policies, echoing Karnataka’s initiative earlier this year, to make snakebites a priority across India’s health systems.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
