Maharashtra records maximum snake bite cases in India in 2017
KILLER BITE 83% of total cases reported from country’s rural areas, experts say open defecation major issue
MUMBAI : Of the 1.14 lakh cases of snake bites in India between April 1 and October 31, 24,437 were in Maharashtra, putting the state on top of the list compiled by the ministry of health and family welfare.
While West Bengal came a close second with 23,666 cases, Andhra Pradesh recorded 10,735 cases, Odisha 7,657, Karnataka 7,619, Uttar Pradesh 6,976, Tamil Nadu 4,567, and Telangana 4,079. The data showed 94,874 cases were reported from rural areas.
Rural Maharashtra recorded 19,012 cases while urban 5,425 cases. Nashik reported most incidents (2,696), followed by Palghar (2,343), Thane (1,332) Raigad (1,216), Jalgaon (1,180) and Pune (1,081). Mumbai had 133 cases.
Experts blamed lack of lights, garbage management and lack of awareness to deal with situations as possible causes. “We need to create awareness about how the incidents happen and how to tackle them. There is a need to avoid open defecation, sleeping on floor,” said Sunil Limaye, chief conservator, Thane forest range.
“We also need to provide specialised training to doctors, be it at primary medical centres, clinics or major hospitals, regarding the steps that need to be taken.”
there have been two snake-bite deaths this year from Aarey Colony, one in July where a 20-year-old woman was killed during her sleep and the other in the first week of October, where a six-year-old boy died after being bitten while playing with his friends
snake-bite incidents is the Zero Bites initiative started by Mumbai-based herpetologist Kedar Bhide across various parts of India including Aarey Colony. It is a campaign initiated by various animal welfare organisations and herpetologists to create awareness and reduce cases of snake bites
common venomous snakes include the common krait (Bungarus caeruleus), the Indian cobra (Naja naja), Russell’s viper (Daboia russelii), and Indian saw-scaled viper. According to Bhide, there are 292 snake species across the country, of which 70-75 are venomous. Maharashtra has around 120 species, of which around 20 are venomous.
Officials from the Maharashtra animal welfare board said they will inform the state government about the rising incidents and work with the ministry of health. “The figures are alarming for Maharashtra. Awareness drives are already in progress at the panchayat levels, but they will be expedited,” said NG Jayasimha, member, Maharashtra animal welfare board. “Snake bite deaths can be prevented completely. Open defecation is a major issue. Providing basic amenities like solar lights and toilets in remote areas can help.”
This is the first year the union health ministry collated countrywide data on snake-bite cases on the Health Management Information System (HMIS), said central government officials. “Our intention is to increase reporting,” said a senior official from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. “Guidelines were issued to all state governments to direct hospitals at the city, district and village levels to submit data on snake-bite emergencies. This will act as a database to identify locations where anti-snake venom can be provided to mitigate such cases faster.”
“There is more awareness and the presence of local clinics in rural districts in Maharashtra and West Bengal compared to other states that are able to deal with such cases,” he said.
According to a Lancet study from October this year, Snakebite in India: a neglected disease of poverty, 49 000 people die of snake bites every year, although this figure is possibly underestimated as most patients in rural areas go to healers. “Doctors at primary health centres in India are replaced every 6-12 months and have poor knowledge about how to tackle them. Many victims die on the journey to big, citybased hospitals,” the study said.
Doctors want snake bite to be acknowledged as a nationally notifiable disease.