Advisory on snakebites

Mumbai: Time is critical in snakebite cases - every minute counts between life and death. More than 58,000 people die of snakebites in India.

The onset of monsoons calls for caution from snakes. Snakebites are expected to rise, especially in those areas that are filled with a dense natural environment, mostly in the hilly and rural parts of India. Snakebites remain a major public health problem in India.

In view of the seriousness of the issue, Bharat Serums and Vaccines Ltd and Mankind Pharma Ltd, has come out with an advisory - "Saanp Ka Vaar, Aspatal Mein Hi Upchar" and an informative comic strip in English and Hindi, titled "Prevention and Protection against Snakebite" and "Sarpdansh ke Bachav aur Suraksha", respectively.

It also outlines key facts about the ‘Big Four’ snakes, symptoms of envenomation, first aid do’s and don’ts, prevention tips, and recent government efforts to address this issue.

The Indian Cobra (Naja naja), Common Krait (Bungarus caeruleus), Russell’s Viper (Daboia russelii) and Saw-scaled Viper (Echis carinatus), stay in proximity of human settlements, and are responsible for majority of the deaths.

Snake bite envenomation can cause severe multi-organ or multi-system damage, such as haemorrhage, paralysis, tissue necrosis, muscle breakdown, cardiotoxicity, acute kidney injury, hypovolemic shock, and death.

“Research shows that India had 1.2 million snakebite deaths from 2000-2019, representing an average of 58,000 deaths per year. India accounts for approximately half of global snakebite deaths. The problem is severely underreported - Government of India’s official snakebite death reports captured only one-tenth of actual deaths detected during the same period, given only 20-30 per cent of snakebite victims in rural India seek hospital treatment,” according to the advisory.

The lifetime risk of dying from snakebite in India is about 1 in 250, but

reaches 1 in 100 in some high-risk areas. Nearly half of victims are aged 30-69 years, with over 25 per cent being children under 15. About 70 per cent of deaths occur in eight high-burden states during monsoon season.

Stressing on the need for hospitalisation in case of snake bites, the advisory said: “The immediate task is to take the snakebite victim to a local hospital for treatment. The best way to treat a venomous snakebite is administering quality antivenom. A high-quality antivenom provides the best available treatment that can help prevent many deaths and reduce the severity of serious disabilities that impact thousands of victims.”

Most snakebite cases are recorded in rural areas. Over half of all snake bites occur in 30-50- year-old farmers and in 60-80 per cent of cases involve ankles and feet. Dependence on non- mechanised, low-cost farming techniques and barefoot farming practices place farmers at an increased risk of bites on the extremities. Also, poor housing conditions and inadequate lighting provide easy access to snakes into living spaces as they are not easily spotted.

What to do in case of a snakebite:

● Stay calm and restrict movements so that blood mixed with the venom doesn’t flow to heart

● Take off any jewellery you might have on and tight clothing to avoid problems with

swelling

● Keep the area of the bite below the heart to keep venom from spreading

● Position the patient on their left side with right leg bent and face supported by hand

* Rush immediately to the nearest hospital or health centre

What not to do:

● Don’t wash the wound

● Don’t tightly wrap the site of the bite

● Don’t apply a tourniquet or cold compress to a bite

● Don’t cut across the area of the bite or try to suck the venom out

● Don’t consume alcohol or anything with caffeine

● Do not self-medicate even if you experience pain

● Don’t panic or let the victim overexert

● Don’t attack the snake