Lok Sabha Question No. 389 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-03
Subject: Mortality due to Snake Bite
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shardaben Anilbhai Patel, Mitesh Rameshbhai (Bakabhai) Patel

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 389 TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.02.2023

## MORTALITY DUE TO SNAKE BITE

## 389. SHRIMATI SHARDABEN ANILBHAI PATEL: SHRI MITESH RAMESHBHAI PATEL (BAKABHAI):

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

- (a) whether  the  World  Health  Organization  has  reported  that  about  58,000  people  are dying due to snake bite in the country and, if so, the steps taken/ being taken by the Government to reduce such mortality rate;
- (b) whether it is a fact that about 90 percent deaths occured due to snake bite in rural areas and,  if  so,  the  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  set  up  medical infrastructure for the same in rural areas;
- (c) whether  the  existing  manufacturing  units  are  capable  for  producing  anti-venom medicines in enough quantity to treat the patients of snake bite; and
- (d) if so, the production capacities-wise details of the companies thereof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

(a) to (d):

As per the information received from WHO country office, India, WHO has not released any report on mortality due to snakebites.

As  per  information  received  from  States/UTs,  626  deaths  have  been  reported  in  year 2020.

Government  of  India  provides  financial  assistance  to  all  states  under  National  Health Mission (NHM) for strengthening public health care system including setting up of new hospitals and infrastructure upgradation under various schemes including management of snake  bite  cases.  Further  to  ensure  drugs  availability,  Anti-Snake  Venom  (ASV),  has already been included in the National Essential Drug List and State Governments have also been communicated to include ASV in essential drug list.

As per approval in Mission Steering Group (MSG) of NHM, additional activities have been  added  for  prevention  and  control  of  snake  bites  for  implementation  across  all states/UTs  from  the  financial  year  2023-24.  These  include  awareness  on  snake  bite prevention and first aid, capacity building of frontline health workers and IEC activities.

The detail of the Manufacturers for Anti-Snake Venom Serum with installed capacity is as follows:

|   S. No. | Name of Manufacturer                                | Installed Capacity (Vials/annum)   |
|----------|-----------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
|        1 | M/s Virchow Biotech Pvt. Ltd.                       | 4,32,000                           |
|        2 | M/s Haffkine Biopharmaceuticals Corporation Limited | 4,50,000                           |
|        3 | M/s Biological E. Limited                           | 8,40,000                           |
|        4 | M/s Premium Serums and Vaccines Pvt. Ltd.           | 14,40,000                          |
|        5 | M/s Bharat Serums and Vaccines Limited              | 21,00,000                          |
|        6 | M/s VINS Bioproducts Limited                        | 13,60,000                          |
|        7 | M/s Central Research Institute                      | 10,000                             |
|        8 | M/s Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd., Pune        | 1,20,000                           |

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