Every year in India, with the arrival of monsoon, the incidents of snake bites suddenly increase. Often people consider it to be just the effect of rain, but now the new data revealed shows that snakes do not target everyone equally. There are some classes which are most at risk. At the forefront of these are men, farmers and laborers working in the fields, poor families and people living in villages. That means snake bite is not just a medical emergency, but also a big social issue related to poverty, livelihood and health system.
A recent study conducted with the help of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has revealed that a large number of people who die due to snake bites belong to families who are economically weak. Many people die before reaching the hospital or on the way. It is clear from this that delay in treatment remains the biggest challenge even today. Analysis of snake bite cases also shows that most of the victims are those who work in fields, forests or open areas for their livelihood.
Why do men become the most victims?
The number of men in cases of snake bites is higher because they are more involved in risky jobs like farming, animal husbandry, construction work and working outside at night. On the other hand, in poor families, the risk increases manifold due to lack of permanent houses, compulsion to sleep on the floor, going out at night for work and delay in reaching hospitals. This is the reason why experts consider snake bite not only as a health problem but also as a neglected disease of poverty.
- More participation of men in works like farming, labor and animal husbandry.
- Working in fields or open areas at night increases the chances of encountering snakes.
- The highest number of cases have been reported among working people aged between 20 and 50 years.
Whom do snakes bite more (anuwar Hazarikanurphoto Via Getty Images)
During the study, a total of 7,094 incidents of snake bites were recorded in 25 districts. Of these affected people, 64.1% were men and most cases were reported in the age group of 30 to 39 years (20.9%). According to profession, laborers (25.4%) and people associated with agriculture or farming (24.5%) were most affected. The study also found that 62% of the incidents occurred during the monsoon season, while only 2.7% of those who lost their lives to snake bites died in hospital, indicating that a large number of patients die before reaching hospital or receiving treatment.
Why are poor families most affected?
According to the study, about 53% of the victims in snake bite cases belonged to families living below the poverty line. The main reasons for this are considered to be raw houses, compulsion to sleep on the floor, bushes around the houses and distance from hospitals. It is said that in economically weak families, many times people first resort to exorcism, home remedies or local remedies. During this period, there is a lot of delay in starting the treatment and by the time the patient reaches the hospital, the poison has spread in the body, due to which the risk of death increases manifold.
Why do people lose their lives before reaching the hospital?
A recent study also revealed that about 43% of deaths due to snake bites occur before reaching the hospital or on the way. According to experts, if proper treatment and anti-snake venom is available on time, the lives of a large number of people can be saved. But, in villages, problems like distance from hospitals, lack of ambulance, lack of awareness and delay in treatment make the condition of patients serious. This is the reason why doctors advise to go straight to the hospital after a snake bite without wasting time.
Why do cases of snake bites increase during rains?
Incidents of snake bites increase rapidly during monsoon. The biggest reason for this is that during the rains, snakes come out due to water filling in their holes. At the same time, farming work like sowing and transplanting also increases in the fields, due to which the chances of farmers and laborers encountering snakes increases. In villages, people come out more during the night and sometimes snakes also enter the houses. This is the reason why maximum cases are registered between July and September.
Which states are more at risk from snakes (piskunove Getty Images)
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and various studies, cases of snake bites and deaths due to them are relatively high in agricultural states like Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh-Telangana. Experts attribute this to the large population dependent on agriculture, limited access to health facilities in rural areas and delay in treatment.
What do the figures tell?
Snake bites remain a serious public health challenge throughout the world. Globally, about 54 lakh people are bitten by snakes every year, in 18 to 27 lakh cases of which the poison spreads through the body. Due to this, 81 thousand to 1.38 lakh people die every year, while about 4 lakh people face permanent disability or other serious health problems. Talking about India, every year about 10 to 15 lakh people are estimated to be bitten by snakes and about 58 thousand people die from it. According to experts, most cases of snake bites are recorded in India between June and September, i.e. during the monsoon season.
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