… Focusing on the 4A’s of Awareness, Accessibility Availability, & Action enabling right treatment at the right time …..
2025, Mumbai: With the onset of monsoon in different parts of the country, snakebites, particularly in rural areas, are on the rise. Ahead of this, Bharat Serums and Vaccines Limited (BSV), a Mankind Group Company, and leader in high quality snake antivenom for over two decades, has lined up focused initiatives that will ensure access and availability of the appropriate treatment, while driving awareness on snakebite management and dispelling the myths around it.
Sivani Sarma Deka, COO-India Business said, “As a market leader in anti-snake venom, BSV has been at the forefront of developing and bringing quality and effective treatments for snakebites. We believe it is our responsibility to ensure that we address the 4A’s-Awareness, Access, Availability and Action- such that the right treatment is administered at the right time and at the right place to the right patient. For this, we continue to forge multi-sectoral collaboration and targeted interventions through awareness and community education on prevention, first aid, early access of snakebite patients to the nearest health facility and managing snakebite, in the appropriate manner, so as to dispel the age old myths of snake bite and its treatment. In addition, we are also actively focused on continuous medical education with scientific programs curated for healthcare providers that comprise continuous updating of knowledge and practices during management of Snakebite Envenomation (SBE), through the implementation of the prescribed Standard Treatment Guidelines (STG) of the Government.”
Speaking on awareness, Dr Dhirubhai Patel, Surgeon and Snakebite Specialist – Shree Sainath Surgical and Maternity Hospital, Vice-Chairman-Snake Research Institute, GFRF, Government of Gujarat said, “The Central Government’s move on making snakebites a ‘notifiable disease’ will help in improving data collection, resource allocation, prevention and access to early treatment leading to track incidence, early identification, and interventions to prevent further mortality/morbidity. In addition, it will play a significant role in creating a registry of suspected or probable cases and deaths due to snakebite, thereby ensuring improved surveillance, data collection, and ultimately reducing snakebite deaths and disabilities. This will bring the much-needed focus on addressing gaps in the availability of snake antivenom and medical care and most importantly, fostering community engagement by encouraging local participation in prevention efforts.”
Dr Dhirubhai Patel, Surgeon and Snakebite Specialist – Shree Sainath Surgical and Maternity Hospital, Vice-Chairman-Snake Research Institute, GFRF, Government of Gujarat highlighted, “Annually, over 58,000 reported deaths occur in India due to snakebites. The incidence of high mortality and morbidity prevails. Improving snakebite outcomes involves a multi-pronged approach from identification to early access to treatment as it is crucial for managing the complications of envenoming and improving patient outcomes. We can save lives of snakebite victims by enhancing understanding, building awareness and educating communities on snakebites as well as ensuring wider access and availability of treatments across the country.”
Snakebite remains a serious public health challenge. There is a need to create a holistic strategy to address the socioeconomic challenges of snakebites, the availability of snake antivenom and medical care and most importantly increase awareness and levels of community engagement by encouraging local participation in prevention efforts.
