Kerala has officially declared snakebite envenomation as a disease of public health importance under the Kerala Public Health Act, 2023, following a directive from the Kerala High Court, aligning with Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to prioritize snakebite management.

This move aims to improve documentation, research, and treatment of snakebite cases across the state.

India's National Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming (NAPSE), launched in March 2024, seeks to halve snakebite mortality by 2030 through integrated prevention, treatment, and surveillance efforts, with snakebite now officially made notifiable at the national level in November 2024.

A 2016 study in Kerala highlighted that Russell’s viper and hump-nosed pit viper are significant contributors to snakebite cases, underscoring the need for region-specific antivenoms.

While the polyvalent antivenom in India targets four major snake species—Indian cobra, common krait, Russell’s viper, and saw-scaled viper—it does not neutralize venom from the emerging hump-nosed pit viper, which causes notable fatalities in Kerala.

Kerala plans to address technical challenges in administering anti-snake venom at primary health centers by implementing a state-level action plan employing the One Health approach, with funds already allocated.

The state also aims to enhance medical training for doctors to better identify snake species and manage envenomation, ensure a sustained supply of effective antivenom, and increase public awareness.

In 2023-24, Kerala reported 34 snakebite deaths, with 30 cases in 2024-25, highlighting snakebite as a neglected tropical disease linked to poverty and healthcare inequality.

To improve data collection and monitoring, Kerala will require all hospitals to report snakebite cases through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme platform.