The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched the National Action Plan for Prevention & Control of Snakebite Envenoming (NAPSE), targeting a 50% reduction in snakebite-related deaths by 2030.

Farmers, tribal populations, and rural communities are at the highest risk, making enhanced surveillance essential.

Under NAPSE, all government and private healthcare facilities, including medical colleges, are now required to report snakebite cases and deaths as a Notifiable Disease under the State Public Health Act.

Mandatory notification will provide crucial data on high-risk areas, the burden of snakebites, and factors contributing to fatalities, thereby improving clinical management and intervention strategies.

The Ministry has urged healthcare providers to submit reports using a standardized format that tracks critical details such as bite location, first aid given, and the use of anti-snake venom.

This effort aims to strengthen snakebite prevention, enhance treatment outcomes, and improve reporting from private healthcare providers, marking a significant step toward reducing the public health burden of snakebite envenoming in India.