Better snakebite data needed to save lives and limbs
Extreme temperatures and drought are affecting snake habitats, including in Iraq’s marshes (pictured), leading the animals closer to human habitats, especially in rural and periurban settings. Photo credit: WHO/K. Nasser
2 September 2024 – Globally, someone is bitten by a snake every 10 seconds, according to estimates. Snakebite envenoming is a potentially life-threatening disease caused by toxins in the bite of a venomous snake. Snake bites are estimated to cause about 81 000 to 138 000 deaths and 400 000 permanent disabilities globally each year.
Snake bites are a neglected public health issue worldwide and especially in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Snake bites disproportionately affect vulnerable groups like rural communities, children and crisis-affected populations.
Solutions include improving education and awareness among communities living in areas with venomous snakes, and training health workers in snakebite management. Also, quality assured antivenoms for endemic snake species should be available at health facilities within 4–6 hours’ travel time of at-risk communities.
Killing snakes is not a solution. Snakes are important predators, particularly of common pests that can affect agricultural production and food security. Snakes are thus
