Chennai:The Tamil Nadu government has declared snakebite as a notifiable disease under the Tamil Nadu Public Health Act of 1939.
Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary, Health Department, Government of Tamil Nadu posted on her X handle,"The Government of Tamil Nadu has declared snakebite a “Notifiable Disease” under the Tamil Nadu Public Health Act of 1939. Effective from November 6, 2024, all hospitals including private must report snakebite cases to improve data collection and resource allocation."
The senior IAS officer said that the move by the government aims to enhance treatment for cases of snakebites.
"This move aims to enhance treatment, infrastructure, and availability of Anti Snake Venom, reducing snakebite-related mortality, especially in rural areas following a One Health Approach. This aligns with the National and World Health Organization's (WHO) global strategy to halve snakebite deaths by 2030," Sahu added.
According to Sahu, snakebite envenoming poses a serious global health risk, affecting 5.8 billion people, with 81,000-138,000 fatalities annually.
"Recognised by WHO as a neglected tropical disease, this will need efforts to focus on community education, prevention, conservation, and improved treatment," the Additional Chief Secretary of the Health Department added.
A snakebite is an injury caused by the bite of a snake, especially a venomous snake.
