Home / Health / Punjab Declares Snakebites a Notifiable Event
Punjab Declares Snakebites a Notifiable Event
11 Jul
Summary
- All healthcare facilities must report snakebite cases and deaths.
- This initiative supports India's plan to halve snakebite deaths by 2030.
- Punjab reported 2,886 snakebite cases and 39 deaths in 2024.
In a significant public health measure, the Punjab government has officially declared all snakebite cases and associated fatalities as "notifiable events." This directive mandates that all government and private healthcare institutions, including hospitals, nursing homes, and diagnostic centers, must meticulously record and promptly report every suspected, probable, and confirmed snakebite incident.
Registered medical practitioners are also bound by this new regulation to immediately inform public health authorities. This proactive step aligns with India's National Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming (NAPSE), which targets a 50% reduction in snakebite-related deaths and disabilities by the year 2030.
The reporting requirement includes vital epidemiological, clinical, and outcome data. This information is crucial for enhancing surveillance, monitoring, and planning effective public health interventions. Such data collection is essential to address the substantial morbidity and mortality caused by snakebites, particularly in rural areas.
In Punjab, data from 2024 indicated 2,886 snakebite cases and 39 deaths, a decrease in fatalities from 54 in 2023, suggesting improved treatment access. Gurdaspur, Jalandhar, and Patiala were among the districts with the highest case numbers, while Moga recorded the most deaths in 2024.
