Jharkhandinc Bureau
RANCHI, March 26: Jharkhand has declared snakebite a notifiable disease, making it mandatory for all government and private health institutions to report every case and death to authorities.
The decision, notified by the state Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare Department earlier this month, is aimed at improving surveillance, strengthening treatment response and generating reliable data in a state where snakebite cases remain under-reported.
The move is significant for Jharkhand’s rural and tribal regions, where snakebite incidents tend to rise during the monsoon and summer months. Delayed access to healthcare and reliance on traditional treatment practices have often contributed to preventable deaths.
Officials said the reporting mandate is intended to address gaps in public health planning. In the absence of consolidated data, the burden of snakebite has remained fragmented across districts, affecting timely deployment of anti-snake venom and targeted response strategies.
Under the new system, all health institutions, including private hospitals, medical colleges and AYUSH facilities, will be required to maintain records of snakebite cases and upload data through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme’s Integrated Health Information Platform.
Institutions have also been directed to submit periodic reports to district authorities, which will be compiled and forwarded to the state level for monitoring and analysis.
The initiative aligns with the Government of India’s National Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming 2030, which aims to reduce snakebite-related deaths and disabilities.
Officials said Jharkhand has already initiated a state-level prevention and control programme to improve preparedness, including ensuring availability of anti-snake venom across health facilities.
Additional Chief Secretary Ajay Kumar Singh has directed strict adherence to the national snakebite management protocol and emphasised the need for increased awareness at the community level.
Public health experts have noted that snakebite is not only a medical issue but also linked to gaps in rural healthcare access, delayed referrals and low awareness.
Officials said the notification has come into immediate effect, and compliance will be monitored across institutions.
