Maharashtra Declares Snakebite a Notifiable Disease to Strengthen Monitoring and Treatment

Key facts

• The Maharashtra government declared snakebite a notifiable disease, making reporting compulsory for all health institutions and medical practitioners.
• The decision aims to strengthen monitoring, ensure timely treatment, and improve planning for anti-snake venom availability.
• The notification requires reporting of every suspected or confirmed snakebite case and death to the district health officer or district surgeon.
• Serious or fatal cases must be reported immediately through available communication systems.
• Cases will be recorded through the Health Management Information System, Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, or other specified reporting systems.
• A nodal mechanism from state to district level will be set up for prevention and control, with the director of hospitals overseeing at state level and district surgeons/health officers as nodal officers.
• Health institutions must maintain updated records of anti-snake venom received, used, and in stock to ensure adequate supplies.
• Patient records must include details such as date and place of bite, age, gender, circumstances, symptoms, treatment, ASV vials administered, referral, outcome, and death details.
• District health authorities will be responsible for creating awareness about snakebite prevention, first aid, timely referral, and proper treatment.
• The declaration came days after three tribal schoolgirls died from snakebites at a residential school in Gadchiroli.