Nagaland registers 324 snakebite cases in 3 years; no casualties
A total of 324 snakebite cases have been reported in Nagaland from January 2022 to December 2024
- KOHIMA — A total
of 324 snakebite cases have been reported in Nagaland from January 2022 to
December 2024, with the highest number of reported cases in 2022.
- This was shared by Union Minister of State for Health &
Family Welfare, Prataprao Jadhav, during the ongoing Lok Sabha session on
Friday, citing the Integrated Health Information Platform/Integrated Disease
Surveillance Programme data.
- In 2022, a total of 121 cases of snakebite incidents were
reported. Another 99 cases in 2023 and 104 incidents in 2024 were also
reported.
- The data, however, indicated that death caused by snakebite
in Nagaland was zero in all three years.
- Nagaland is home to 65 species of snake, out of which 49 are
non-venomous and 16 are venomous.
- Also, the minister cited the steps taken to address the
issue of snakebite. Towards this, guidelines for prevention and control of
snakebite have been developed under the National Action Plan for Prevention and
Control of Snakebite Envenoming (NAPSE).
- It also provides support to all states/UTs for ensuring the
availability of emergency medicines, equipment, and transport mechanisms
related to snakebites and other emergency conditions.
- To ensure the affordability and accessibility of polyvalent
Anti Snake Venom (ASV) at each level, ASV has been included under the National
and State Essential Drug List, it was informed.
- The states/UTs get funds for ASV through the National Free
Drug Initiative under the National Health Mission (NHM).
- To strengthen effective implementation of snakebite
prevention and control activities in the country, funds are being provided to
states, he informed.
