Snakebite declared 'notifiable disease', Centre seeks to reduce deaths by '30

SNAKEBITE CAPITAL

- KAVITA BAJELI-DATT

INDIA — often dubbed as the world's 'snakebite capital' since the country reports nearly 50 per cent of related deaths globally — has declared snakebite as a 'notifiable disease'.

This makes it a disease to be reported to authorities mandatorily by law.

In a letter dated November 27, Union health secretary Punya Salila Srivastava urged the states and Union Territories "to make snakebite cases and deaths a 'notifiable disease' under the relevant provisions of State Public Health Act or other applicable legislation, making it mandatory for all government and private health facilities (including medical colleges) to report all suspected snakebite cases and deaths."