Will make snakebite antivenom locally: Min
Speaking at the World Snake Day programme at Kerala forest headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday, Saseendran said antivenom was being sourced from other states. Due to geographical factors, there can be variations in the potency of snake venom in different regions, making local production of antivenom essential, he said. The plan is to make antivenom from the rescued snakes and then make them available at primary health centres.
Globally, between 82,000 and 125,000 people die annually from snakebites, with half of these deaths occurring in India. Kerala has also been significantly affected by snakebite fatalities. "To address this, forest department launched the Snake App. In 2019, there were 119 snakebite deaths, which were reduced to 30 by 2024 due to the department's constant vigilance," the minister stated.
Chief wildlife warden Pramod G Krishnan said almost all snakebites happen outside forest areas, showing that these snakes are allied with agriculture and are friends of farmers.
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There are 6,200 volunteer snake rescuers, 3,000 being certified and 300 are women, he added.
The next target is to make Kerala free from snakebite deaths in five years, he said, adding that it could be possible only with cooperation from health, agriculture and education departments. "We need the cooperation of health department to produce and distribute antivenom. Agriculture department comes into play as we must reclaim land lying unused and covered in undergrowth," Krishnan said.
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