NEW DELHI: A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court by lawyer Shailendra Mani Tripathi, seeking directives to provide poly-venom (anti-venom) and snakebite treatment at Primary Health Centres (PHCs), Community Health Centres (CHCs), and district hospitals across the country. The petitioner has named all States and Union Territories as parties to his plea.In his petition, accessed by this newspaper, Tripathi urged the apex court to direct relevant authorities to launch a snakebite prevention health mission and public awareness campaign to mitigate the high mortality rate, particularly in rural India. He emphasised the need to establish dedicated snakebite treatment and care units at government district hospitals and medical colleges.”To establish snakebites treatment and care unit at government district hospitals and government medical colleges,” the petitioner said in his plea, filed before the apex court.He also said that snakebite envenomation (SBE) poses a significant public health threat, affecting approximately 1.8 to 2.7 million people globally, with an estimated 138,000 deaths each year. India alone accounts for about 58,000 deaths annually, predominantly occurring in rural areas.”India contributes an average of 58,000 deaths annually. More than 95 percent deaths occur in rural India. Similar to sub-Saharan Africa, the magnitude of SBE is underestimated in South Asia and South-East Asia. India is one of the world’s most affected countries due to the large population engaged in agricultural activities, use of wattle and daub houses in snakebiteprone rural areas, several slum areas, presence of abundant venomous snakes and lack of community awareness regarding prevention and control of snakebites,” Tripathi said.
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