The Karnataka government on Friday released the State Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Snakebite Poisoning (SAPSE), becoming the first state in the country to issue a comprehensive plan dedicated exclusively to combating snakebite. At the same time, the government launched the State Action Plan for Rabies Elimination (SAPRE), reiterating its goal of achieving zero human deaths from dog-borne rabies by 2030.
Launching the plans under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said the aim was to ensure “no loss of life due to delay in treatment or lack of access to medicines”.
Snakebite, classified by the World Health Organization as a neglected tropical disease, continues to pose a significant public health challenge. In India, estimates place around 50,000 deaths each year, in addition to a large number of survivors left with amputations or permanent disabilities. Public health experts have pointed out that the true burden is likely to be higher, as many victims do not reach formal health facilities.
Karnataka characters
In Karnataka, reported snakebite cases and deaths have seen a sharp increase from 6,596 cases of bites and 19 deaths in 2023 to 13,235 cases of bites and 100 deaths in 2024 and 16,805 cases of bites and 154 deaths, attributing an increase in the number of cases reported to Padma to 2,025 cases. The director (State Surveillance Unit) said this follows Karnataka declaring snakebite poisoning cases and deaths in February 2024 notifiable under the Karnataka Outbreaks Act, 2020.
The State Action Plan seeks to address these gaps through enhanced surveillance, ensured availability of anti-snake venom (ASV), timely referral and transport, capacity building of medical personnel and continuous public awareness campaigns. Karnataka had earlier declared snakebite a notifiable disease, mandating the reporting of all cases and deaths to improve data collection and guide the policy response, said Dr. Padma.
The plan is in line with the National Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming (NAPSE) launched by the Union government in March 2024, which aims to halve snakebite deaths and injuries by 2030. It envisages coordinated action by several ministries, including health, animal husbandry, agriculture, forestry, education and home finance.
Key strategies
The Minister of Health said that key strategies include promoting behavior change through information, education and communication (IEC) activities, encouraging rural communities to seek treatment at the nearest health facility instead of traditional healers, ensuring timely transport of victims, prompt administration of ASV, managing complications and rehabilitating people with disabilities.
The Ministry of Health has identified designated snakebite treatment centers, supplied ASV supplies and circulated standard treatment guidelines. Free treatment will be provided in state facilities. Private hospitals have been ordered to provide immediate life-saving care without insisting on upfront payment, he said.
National Rabies Action Plan
Together with the SAPSE, the state established the SAPRE as part of the National Rabies Control Program. Rabies was declared a notifiable disease in Karnataka in December 2022. The government has mandated the availability of anti-rabies vaccine (ARV) and anti-rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) in all primary health centres, community health centres, taluk and district hospitals with instructions to maintain adequate stocks.
Private hospitals have also been directed to stock ARVs and RIGs and provide emergency treatment without requiring advance payment. Joint committees have been set up at the state and district levels to oversee implementation in coordination with various ministries and NGOs.
The ‘Rabies Free Cities Initiative’ is being rolled out in 11 major cities, including Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru and Hubballi-Dharwad. Action plans for individual cities focus on mass dog vaccinations, dog population management, increased surveillance and better waste management.
Dr. Padma said the success of both action plans will depend on sustained inter-departmental coordination and community participation, particularly on timely wound washing, prompt reporting of bites and completion of the full course of post-exposure prophylaxis for rabies cases.
Published – 27 Feb 2026 22:13 IST
