Snakebite envenoming is classified by the WHO as a priority neglected tropical disease and it presents a significant global health challenge, inflicting substantial morbidity and mortality. India bears the highest snakebite burden, with approximately 58 000 deaths reported annually.1 For the past 13 y, the Snakebite Healing and Education Society of India (SHE-INDIA.ORG), operating within the civil society sector, has been dedicated to mitigating the impact of snakebites through both grassroot interaction, extending to the remotest regions across 12 snakebite-endemic states in India, and through national and international advocacy.
As snakebite envenoming is a medical emergency, prompt treatment, which includes antivenom administration, is crucial in obtaining positive outcomes. In other global snakebite-endemic regions that experience a high snakebite burden, lack of antivenom is often cited as a primary cause of high mortality.2 India is fortunate to have five major antivenom manufacturers, ensuring ample availability of antivenom, which is provided free of charge in government hospitals. Although the efficacy and availability of antivenoms available in India may vary, it is our experience that these issues are not primary factors in contributing to high snakebite mortality in India. Instead, the high number of snakebite deaths is primarily attributable to delays and barriers in snakebite victims accessing healthcare.
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