Snakebite Deaths in India: What You Need To Know

Snakebite Deaths in IndiaWhile venomous snakes pose virtually no risk to humans in the United States (U.S.), there is a global average of 100,000 deaths annually due to venomous snakebites. The vast majority of these fatalities occur in Asia, and estimates suggest that half of them occur in India, a country that is home to more than 60 breeds of venomous snakes, of which 20 can be harmful to humans. With the population increasing, snakebite deaths in India are on the rise, accounting for one in every 250 deaths. Here’s what you need to know.

The Possibly Underreported Statistics 

Most of the statistics available about these snakebite deaths are estimates. In one study of a smaller region, it was found that only 23% of the deaths had occurred at the hospital. Many Indians who suffer snakebites seek traditional healing from local spiritual leaders instead of gaining admission to a hospital, and when they die as a result of the envenomated bite, the cause of death is not correctly recorded. Indians living in poor, rural areas who do seek medical attention may encounter hospitals that lack the proper antivenin (or antivenom) to treat the wound, or doctors unable to identify the snakebite in time, especially if the patient was bitten while asleep.

The Impoverished Are Most at Risk

One reason that snakebite deaths in India have been improperly addressed by the government is that it is seen as a “poor man’s disease” in a society with a rigid class structure. Though much of the population is condensed into large cities like Mumbai and Delhi, 97% of snakebite deaths in India occur in rural areas, often victimizing farmers and even child laborers. Many of these snakebites occur from farmers accidentally stepping on the snakes as they walk through their fields barefoot, or snakes chasing rats into rural homes and becoming trapped and defensive. Many poor families cannot afford the trip to a hospital that actually carries antivenin, causing them to seek ineffectual alternatives that usually lead to death.

Snakebites Are Preventable

There are many easy steps that Indians can take to avoid deadly snakebites. Around 92% of these bites occur when people are walking through fields barefoot and step on a snake they didn’t even see. The Humane Society International location in India is helping to combat this by distributing thick rubber boots to protect against the snakes’ weak fangs. It also provides lights so that anyone walking through dark fields can avoid stepping on dangerous reptiles. Prevention of snakebites during sleep can be accomplished with a net surrounding the bed, which costs very little and is highly effective. On a broader scale, improvement of hospital resources is imperative, as only 3% of properly treated snakebite cases result in fatality. 

While the Indian government requires that available antivenin be administered free of charge, most hospitals, especially in rural areas where snakebites occur, do not have the antivenin on hand or lack doctors with training to identify and administer treatment for snakebites. The Indian Snakebite Initiative is a foundation that focuses on education and legislation aimed at reducing snakebite fatalities and improving prevention and treatment options.

– Cheyenne Astarita
Photo: Wikimedia