Toward achieving the WHO 2030 target in the mitigation of snakebite envenoming: the fundamental challenges in addressing the unmet needs

Abstract Snakebite envenoming represents a significant public health challenge, particularly in regions where venomous snakes are prevalent. Globally, it has been estimated that every year 81,000–1,38,000 people die due to venomous snakebites along with enormous morbidity and physical disability to...

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Main Authors: Swati Allen, Joy Kumar Chakma
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-05-01
Series:Tropical Medicine and Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s41182-025-00754-0
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author Swati Allen
Joy Kumar Chakma
author_facet Swati Allen
Joy Kumar Chakma
author_sort Swati Allen
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Snakebite envenoming represents a significant public health challenge, particularly in regions where venomous snakes are prevalent. Globally, it has been estimated that every year 81,000–1,38,000 people die due to venomous snakebites along with enormous morbidity and physical disability to the survivors. Almost 70% of estimated global snakebite deaths are from South Asia Region. However, more than half of the global burden due to snakebite is alone from India with an estimated annual average of about 58,000 deaths. Thus, this is a significant public health problem for a developing country like India compared to the other Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). Considering the problem of snakebites in developing and tropical countries, which contributes almost 95% of the total snakebites of the world, the World Health Organization (WHO) has re-designated snakebite as a priority Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) in 2017. However, there is a little more than a 5-year window left for reducing mortality and morbidity due to snakebite envenoming by 50%, in aligning with the WHO 2030 target. Thus, for achieving this target within the span of half a decade, for this decades-old problem, there is an urgent need to recognize the fundamental challenges for addressing the unmet needs and recognizing the opportunities.
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spelling doaj-art-c2269a57c1d34da7b1a8a38bbd80ff1c2025-08-20T01:53:15ZengBMCTropical Medicine and Health1349-41472025-05-015311410.1186/s41182-025-00754-0Toward achieving the WHO 2030 target in the mitigation of snakebite envenoming: the fundamental challenges in addressing the unmet needsSwati Allen0Joy Kumar Chakma1Scientist C, 2Scientist F, Indian Council of Medical Research Department of Health Research, Faculty of Medical Research, AcSIR (Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, an Institute of National Importance Established By an Act of Parliament)Scientist C, 2Scientist F, Indian Council of Medical Research Department of Health Research, Faculty of Medical Research, AcSIR (Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, an Institute of National Importance Established By an Act of Parliament)Abstract Snakebite envenoming represents a significant public health challenge, particularly in regions where venomous snakes are prevalent. Globally, it has been estimated that every year 81,000–1,38,000 people die due to venomous snakebites along with enormous morbidity and physical disability to the survivors. Almost 70% of estimated global snakebite deaths are from South Asia Region. However, more than half of the global burden due to snakebite is alone from India with an estimated annual average of about 58,000 deaths. Thus, this is a significant public health problem for a developing country like India compared to the other Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). Considering the problem of snakebites in developing and tropical countries, which contributes almost 95% of the total snakebites of the world, the World Health Organization (WHO) has re-designated snakebite as a priority Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) in 2017. However, there is a little more than a 5-year window left for reducing mortality and morbidity due to snakebite envenoming by 50%, in aligning with the WHO 2030 target. Thus, for achieving this target within the span of half a decade, for this decades-old problem, there is an urgent need to recognize the fundamental challenges for addressing the unmet needs and recognizing the opportunities.https://doi.org/10.1186/s41182-025-00754-0Snakebite envenomingPriority neglected tropical diseaseLow- and middle- income countriesPrevention and controlPublic health
spellingShingle Swati Allen
Joy Kumar Chakma
Toward achieving the WHO 2030 target in the mitigation of snakebite envenoming: the fundamental challenges in addressing the unmet needs
Tropical Medicine and Health
Snakebite envenoming
Priority neglected tropical disease
Low- and middle- income countries
Prevention and control
Public health
title Toward achieving the WHO 2030 target in the mitigation of snakebite envenoming: the fundamental challenges in addressing the unmet needs
title_full Toward achieving the WHO 2030 target in the mitigation of snakebite envenoming: the fundamental challenges in addressing the unmet needs
title_fullStr Toward achieving the WHO 2030 target in the mitigation of snakebite envenoming: the fundamental challenges in addressing the unmet needs
title_full_unstemmed Toward achieving the WHO 2030 target in the mitigation of snakebite envenoming: the fundamental challenges in addressing the unmet needs
title_short Toward achieving the WHO 2030 target in the mitigation of snakebite envenoming: the fundamental challenges in addressing the unmet needs
title_sort toward achieving the who 2030 target in the mitigation of snakebite envenoming the fundamental challenges in addressing the unmet needs
topic Snakebite envenoming
Priority neglected tropical disease
Low- and middle- income countries
Prevention and control
Public health
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s41182-025-00754-0
work_keys_str_mv AT swatiallen towardachievingthewho2030targetinthemitigationofsnakebiteenvenomingthefundamentalchallengesinaddressingtheunmetneeds
AT joykumarchakma towardachievingthewho2030targetinthemitigationofsnakebiteenvenomingthefundamentalchallengesinaddressingtheunmetneeds