Snakebite Declared Notifiable Disease in Tamil Nadu, Hospitals Must Report Cases to Government

This step aims to strengthen prevention and treatment strategies, including enhancing clinical infrastructure and ensuring the adequate supply 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.

According to the PTI report, the release said, "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."

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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.

Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported that Shri Apurva Chandra, Union Health Secretary launched a National Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming (NAP-SE) in India.

With a vision to reduce snakebite deaths by halve by 2030, NAPSE provides a broad framework for states to develop their own action plan for management, prevention and control of snakebites through the ‘One Health’ approach.

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