New health directive in Tamil Nadu, Government declares THIS as notifiable disease

In a significant step towards improving the management and monitoring of snakebites, the Tamil Nadu government has declared snakebite a "notifiable disease." This move, announced on November 4, aims to strengthen the state’s response to snakebite cases, ensuring better treatment and better data tracking. The new directive requires all public and private hospitals to report any snakebite cases, as well as related deaths, to the state's health department. This measure is being implemented under the Tamil Nadu Public Health Act of 1939.

The decision comes in response to a growing number of snakebite incidents, especially in rural and forest-adjacent areas where people are more likely to encounter venomous snakes. Snakebites pose a significant public health threat, as they can lead to severe illness or even death if not treated promptly. The government hopes that by mandating the reporting of snakebites, they can improve the monitoring of these incidents and streamline the response process.

The Government of Tamil Nadu has declared snakebite a “Notifiable Disease” under the Tamil Nadu Public Health Act of 1939. Effective from November 6, 2024, all hospitals including private must report snakebite cases to improve data collection and resource allocation. This move… pic.twitter.com/WdT7085YHQ

— Supriya Sahu IAS (@supriyasahuias) November 8, 2024

By integrating snakebite data into Tamil Nadu’s Integrated Health Information Platform, the state plans to enhance real-time surveillance of snakebites. This would allow for better coordination and faster responses to outbreaks. The move is also in line with India’s National Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming, which aims to reduce the number of snakebite fatalities by 50% by the year 2030. The national plan focuses on a "One Health" approach, which considers the health of humans, animals, and the environment in tackling snakebite risks.

Supriya Sahu, the Additional Chief Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Health Department, highlighted the global significance of this issue. She pointed out that snakebite envenoming is a major health problem worldwide, affecting around 5.8 billion people, and causing between 81,000 and 138,000 deaths each year. Recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a neglected tropical disease, snakebites require a focused effort on community education, prevention, conservation, and improving access to treatment.

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