WHO Website To Prevent Snakebite Deaths

Add as a preferred source on Google

World Health Organisation (WHO) in an attempt to bring down the death rate, caused by snake bites, has launched a website to spread awareness.

The website hopes to cut the estimated 100,000 deaths caused annually, only by poisonous snakes.

The UN health agency said that the site has a database of approved anti-venoms to treat the 2.5 million people who suffer venomous bites each year.

According to WHO, many anti-venoms are inappropriate and have led to a loss of confidence among doctors and patients. Thus, they have released a list of effective anti-venoms that can be of proper use.

"The regions that are most in need are sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and South-east Asia," said Ana Padilla, a snake venom expert at WHO.

WHO's co-ordinator for medicine safety, Dr Lembit Rago, said if the proper anti-venom is administered in time, many deaths and serious consequences from snake bites can be prevented.