Question : Anti-venom Injection

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has formulated any policy/scheme for providing anti-snake venom injections/ vaccines in primary health centres and if so, the details thereof;

(b) if not, the reasons therefor;

(c) the number of deaths reported from across the country due to unavailability of anti-snake venom and anti-rabies injection during the last three years, State/UT-wise; and

(d) the corrective steps taken or proposed to be taken by the Government to improve the said situation?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)
(a) to (d): No. There is no separate Policy/Scheme for supply of the anti-venom injections at Health Centres and Rural Hospitals. However, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued directions to all the States/UTs to includes Anti Snake Venom Serum (ASVS) and Tissue Culture Anti-Rabies Vaccine (TCARV) in the list of essential drugs of the State, procure these drugs locally for supply to Health Facilities for use to the needy persons and book the expenditure under National Health Mission funds available with States/UTs.

Rabies is transmitted to humans following bite of animals (dogs, cats, monkeys, mongoose etc.) infected by the rabies virus. For prevention of deaths due to rabies, Government of India is implementing the National Rabies Control Programme in the country. The objectives of the program are to:
i. Prevent human deaths due to rabies
ii. Prevent transmission of rabies virus in dog population
iii. Mass vaccination of dogs.
iv. Dog population management
v. Strengthening surveillance & response.


To prevent deaths due to human rabies, the strategy adopted is to implement more cost effective Intra Dermal (ID) route of inoculation for anti-rabies vaccines for Category II & Category III bites and infiltration of Rabies immunoglobulin in all Cat III bites in all major anti-rabies clinics of government health facilities.

The States are asked to organize training of health professional on animal bite management and ID route of anti-rabies vaccination, IEC activities for community awareness on dos’ and don’ts in the event of animal bite, strengthening surveillance of human rabies and strengthening lab diagnostics for rabies.

State/UT-wise details of deaths due to non-availability of anti-venom and anti-rabies injections are not available. Details of State/UT-wise deaths due to snake bite and rabies, during the last three years in the country are at Annexure I and II respectively.