Every year, an estimated 5.4 million people worldwide are bitten by snakes, resulting in 1.8 to 2.7 million cases of envenoming (WHO, 2023). Of these, between 81,410 and 137,880 people die, and approximately three times as many suffer amputations or other permanent disabilities. These outcomes are preventable.
International Snakebite Awareness Day, observed on 19 September, was launched by a coalition of global organisations including the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and the Global Snakebite Initiative. It is a vital moment to reiterate the urgent need for increased prevention, treatment, and research to address this neglected public health crisis. At the Avoidable Deaths Network (ADN), we are working on a community-led solution: the Case Station for Avoidable Snakebite Deaths (CaSA) in Ganjam District, Odisha, India. CaSA empowers communities through:
• Risk reduction outreach workshops
• Community ambassador mobilisation
• Promoting access to medical treatment, which is antivenom.
We invite policymakers, health systems, and communities to support efforts like CaSA—raising awareness, improving treatment access, and strengthening local response capacity. A snake can bite anyone—but with the proper knowledge and resources, no one should die.
If you would like to donate to CaSA’s activities, click here
