National Snakebite Awareness Summit:
National Snakebite Awareness Summit was recently organised in virtual mode by the Integrated Health and Wellbeing Council, New Delhi.
- The summit was held on the eve of the International Snakebite Awareness Day, observed on 19 September every year.
- India is registering an alarming number of deaths due to snakebite. Most of the deaths are preventable with greater awareness and accessible healthcare.
- There is no mechanism of management in the peripheral system to treat snakebites – doctors and paramedical staff need to learn snakebite management but there are no modules.
- Establishment of a dialysis centre attached to the PHCs to offer immediate treatment to those with renal failure due to snakebite.
- Region-specific treatment protocols to treat snakebite victims and to administer the anti-venom injection, when required.
- Besides, we need to include tribal healers who have the knowledge of traditional medicine and medicinal plants.
- Snakebite should be a notifiable disease and industry can bring in easy solutions but we need help from policymakers in doing that.
- Need more localized surveys as preventing snakebite will bring equity – most affected people include children working with parents on fields, villagers and tribals.
