<p>Bengaluru: The Department of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday held a workshop to discuss inter-departmental approaches to tackle snakebite cases and deaths across the state. </p>.<p>This is part of their Snake Bite Prevention and Control Programme (SBPC). </p>.<p><em>DH</em> had reported in May that the Health department had initiated an action plan based on inter-departmental coordination to halve deaths and disabilities due to snakebites by 2030. </p>.<p>The workshop was a forum for these departments such as Forest, Panchayat Raj, Education, Labour, Animal Husbandry and the police to define their roles and responsibilities to curb cases and prepare a comprehensive State Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Snake Bite Envenoming (SAPSE). </p>.Amid surge in snake bite cases, concern over antivenom dearth in Karnataka.<p><strong>Guide to raise awareness</strong></p>.<p>The SAPSE will serve as a guide to raise awareness and enforce preventive measures and timely care to minimise snakebite envenomation. </p>.<p>Following the preparation and submission of an action plan, the department aims to implement the programme by the next financial year. </p>.<p>The department has already taken up several measures, including declaring snakebites as a notifiable disease in February and mandating the reporting of all snakebite cases in both government and private healthcare facilities.</p>.<p>Karnataka is the only state to have notified snakebite cases and deaths. </p>.<p>Additionally, the Health department has conducted state-level and district-level training sessions for medical and paramedical, identify all district and taluk-level hospitals, along with a few Community Health Centres (CHCs), as snakebite treating centres, ensuring anti-snake venom supply to all healthcare facilities and provide free treatment for BPL card holders. </p>.<p>According to data shared by the department, the highest number of snakebites reported until June this year were from Hassan (419), Chikkaballapur (373), Davangere (369), Mandya (361) and Mysuru (339).</p>.<p>The most vulnerable age group is between 31 and 40 years. As of June, the state has recorded 5,418 snake bite cases and 36 deaths.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: The Department of Health and Family Welfare on Wednesday held a workshop to discuss inter-departmental approaches to tackle snakebite cases and deaths across the state. </p>.<p>This is part of their Snake Bite Prevention and Control Programme (SBPC). </p>.<p><em>DH</em> had reported in May that the Health department had initiated an action plan based on inter-departmental coordination to halve deaths and disabilities due to snakebites by 2030. </p>.<p>The workshop was a forum for these departments such as Forest, Panchayat Raj, Education, Labour, Animal Husbandry and the police to define their roles and responsibilities to curb cases and prepare a comprehensive State Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Snake Bite Envenoming (SAPSE). </p>.Amid surge in snake bite cases, concern over antivenom dearth in Karnataka.<p><strong>Guide to raise awareness</strong></p>.<p>The SAPSE will serve as a guide to raise awareness and enforce preventive measures and timely care to minimise snakebite envenomation. </p>.<p>Following the preparation and submission of an action plan, the department aims to implement the programme by the next financial year. </p>.<p>The department has already taken up several measures, including declaring snakebites as a notifiable disease in February and mandating the reporting of all snakebite cases in both government and private healthcare facilities.</p>.<p>Karnataka is the only state to have notified snakebite cases and deaths. </p>.<p>Additionally, the Health department has conducted state-level and district-level training sessions for medical and paramedical, identify all district and taluk-level hospitals, along with a few Community Health Centres (CHCs), as snakebite treating centres, ensuring anti-snake venom supply to all healthcare facilities and provide free treatment for BPL card holders. </p>.<p>According to data shared by the department, the highest number of snakebites reported until June this year were from Hassan (419), Chikkaballapur (373), Davangere (369), Mandya (361) and Mysuru (339).</p>.<p>The most vulnerable age group is between 31 and 40 years. As of June, the state has recorded 5,418 snake bite cases and 36 deaths.</p>