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Snakebite Death: The Kerala government has declared snakebite a disease of ‘extreme public health importance’. This decision has been taken under Section 28 of the Kerala Public Health Act, 2023.
Snakebite Death: The Kerala government has declared snakebite a disease of ‘extreme public health importance’. This decision has been taken under Section 28 of the Kerala Public Health Act, 2023. Its objective is to reduce deaths due to snake bites. This step is expected to reduce deaths due to snake bites in the state. The decision came after the Kerala High Court directed on September 26 to dispose of two petitions highlighting shortcomings in immediate treatment of snakebite victims, especially children. The government says that the main goal of this step is to reduce deaths due to snake bites and ensure proper treatment in rural and forest border areas. This will now help health authorities to enforce uniform treatment standards and strengthen the supply of antivenom. In September 2025, the Kerala High Court had directed the government to declare snakebite a notified disease within two months.
Instructions came after student’s death due to snakebite
The direction came after petitions were filed following the death of a student due to snakebite in a government school in Wayanad in 2019. The notification signed by Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Dr Rajan Khobragade said that envenomation caused by snake bite is declared a disease of public health importance in the entire state. It is known that a disease of public health importance is a disease which affects the health of a community or large group of people. This requires immediate attention. These include both infectious diseases (such as malaria, dengue, smallpox) and non-communicable diseases (such as heart disease, diabetes). These have to be reported to health authorities so that trends can be tracked and outbreaks can be prevented.
Anti-venom will be supplied everywhere
It has been said that if proper treatment is not given on time, a person may die due to the bite of poisonous snakes. A division bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Shobha Annamma Eappen gave these directions on September 26 while disposing of two petitions highlighting the lack of medical care required for immediate treatment of snakebite children in Kerala. These petitions were filed after the death of a student due to snakebite in a government school in Sultan Bathery in Wayanad district on November 20, 2019. Before issuing the directions, the bench observed that there was no comprehensive policy to coordinate between various departments to deal with snakebites in schools. The bench also said that many states in India have declared snakebite poisoning as a notified disease, making it mandatory to report cases. However, snakebite venom was not yet declared a notified disease in Kerala. This will now help health authorities to enforce uniform treatment standards and strengthen the supply of antivenom.
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