Lok Sabha Question No. 1917 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-29
Subject: Snake Bites
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: P.P. Chaudhary

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1917 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29 TH NOVEMBER, 2019

## SNAKE BITES

## 1917. SHRI P.P. CHAUDHARY:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) the estimated number of deaths occurred from snake bites in the country during the last three years, State/UT - wise;
- (b) whether the Government has assessed the reasons for the high number of deaths from snake bites and i f so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether snake bite management is a part of the medical curriculum in medical colleges and students are adequately trained to manage snake bite case and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether facilities for anti - venom production are available in all Government hospitals in the country, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (e) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to ensure adequate availability of anti -venom to treat snake bites in t he country?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a): As per data available with Central Bureau of Health Intelligence (CBHI), under Ministry the State/UT - wise details of cases and deaths reported due to snake bites, during the last three years in the country are given in the Annexure.
- (b) : Snake  bite  is  mainly  an  accidental/occupational  hazard  in  tropical  and  subtro countries, where rural populations are mainly affected. It is a common occupational hazard mainly in farmers, plantation workers, herders and labourers leading significant morbidity and  mortality  that  remains  largely  unreported.  The  bites  inflicted frequently accidental as when snakes are trodden upon or could result due to sleepi floor and open style habitation.
- (c) : Yes, snake bite management is a pa rt of the medical curriculum in medical colleges and students are adequately trained to manage snake bites cases i.e. diagnosis, intr (I/V)  fluid,  management  of  shock,  institution  of  Anti - Snake  venom  &  management  of complications.

(d) & (e) : Facilit y  for  production  of  anti - venom  is  not  available  in  the  Government hospitals. However, there are vaccine manufacturing institutes, engaged in production o -snake venom serum as under:

- Central Research Institute (CRI), Kasauli
- Haffkine Bio- Pharmaceutical Corporation Limited  (HBPCL), Mumbai
- Biological E Ltd., Hyderabad
- King Institute of Preventive Medicine and Research (KIPM), Chennai
- Bharat Serums & Vaccine Ltd., Thane

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued directions to all he States/UTs to includes Anti Snake Venom Serum (ASVS) in the list of essential drugs of the State, pr these drugs locally for supply to Health Facilities for use to the needy persons and su same  under National Health Mission.

Annexur e State/UT- wise Cases and De aths due to Snake Bite during the years 2016 -2018

| S. No.   | State /U.T        | 2016     | 2016   | 2017     | 2017   | 2018 (Provisional)   | 2018 (Provisional)   |
|----------|-------------------|----------|--------|----------|--------|----------------------|----------------------|
| S. No.   | State /U.T        | Cases    | Deaths | Cases    | Deaths | Cases                | Deaths               |
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh    | 20,809   | 28     | 20,953   | 85     | 25,964               | 117                  |
| 2        | Arunachal Pradesh | 43       | 0      | 37       | 0      | 13                   | 1                    |
| 3        | Assam             | 265      | 0      | 810      | 0      | 2,318                | 0                    |
| 4        | Bihar             | 3,334    | 11     | 2,848    | 14     | 2,924                | 31                   |
| 5        | Chhattisgarh      | 3,533    | 60     | 4,109    | 52     | 4,148                | 33                   |
| 6        | Goa               | 620      | 1      | 1,189    | 8      | 1,025                | 1                    |
| 7        | Gujarat           | 5,872    | 72     | 6,209    | 49     | 7,064                | 50                   |
| 8        | Haryana           | 814      | 4      | 944      | 6      | 977                  | 7                    |
| 9        | Himachal Pradesh  | 1,587    | 23     | 1,465    | 9      | 2,105                | 30                   |
| 10       | Jammu & Kashmir   | 1,357    | 0      | 1,422    | 1      | 1,391                | 1                    |
| 11       | Jharkhand         | 749      | 15     | 788      | 2      | 481                  | 2                    |
| 12       | Karnataka         | 9,730    | 46     | 8,084    | 28     | 7,507                | 30                   |
| 13       | Kerala            | 3,019    | 12     | 3,608    | 13     | 4,189                | 11                   |
| 14       | Madhya Pradesh    | 5,010    | 113    | 5,346    | 96     | 2,646                | 39                   |
| 15       | Maharashtra       | 29,629   | 67     | 16,708   | 35     | 18,707               | 32                   |
| 16       | Manipur           | 118      | 0      | 150      | 0      | 50                   | 1                    |
| 17       | Meghalaya         | 405      | 0      | 282      | 2      | 327                  | 0                    |
| 18       | Mizoram           | 205      | 0      | 278      | 0      | 368                  | 0                    |
| 19       | Nagaland          | 106      | 0      | 136      | 0      | 245                  | 0                    |
| 20       | Odisha            | 15,405   | 120    | 15,274   | 147    | 8,003                | 98                   |
| 21       | Punjab            | 1,511    | 8      | 918      | 3      | 1,421                | 4                    |
| 22       | Rajasthan         | 4,929    | 32     | 6,720    | 45     | 5,810                | 30                   |
| 23       | Sikkim            | 242      | 2      | 130      | 0      | 117                  | 1                    |
| 24       | Tamil Nadu        | 16,277   | 44     | 13,668   | 38     | 14,027               | 50                   |
| 25       | Telangana         | 13,729   | 96     | 2,975    | 2      | 3,306                | 9                    |
| 26       | Tripura           | 430      | 1      | 779      | 1      | 813                  | 2                    |
| 27       | Uttarakhand       | 194      | 3      | 128      | 0      | 208                  | 2                    |
| 28       | Uttar Pradesh     | 6,640    | 118    | 7,448    | 128    | 7,623                | 73                   |
| 29       | West Bengal       | 25,481   | 138    | 31,072   | 268    | 36,229               | 203                  |
| 30       | A & N Islands     | 294      | 0      | 195      | 1      | 208                  | 5                    |
| 31       | Chandigarh        | 3,089    | 36     | 1,294    | 9      | 829                  | 14                   |
| 32       | D & N Haveli      | 609      | 9      | 626      | 7      | 733                  | 4                    |
| 33       | Daman & Diu       | 51       | 0      | 99       | 0      | 130                  | 0                    |
| 34       | Delhi             | 200      | 4 0    | 263      | 2      |                      | 1                    |
| 35       | Lakshadweep       | 0        |        | 0        | 0      | 168 0                | 0                    |
| 36       | Puducherry        | 2,147    | 5      | 1,695    | 9      | 1,957                | 3                    |
|          | Total             | 1,78,433 | 1068   | 1,58,650 | 1060   | 1,64,031             | 885                  |