NationalThursday, 20 August 2026·The Hindu - National
Maharashtra makes snakebite deaths notifiable to strengthen surveillance and ASV planning
Maharashtra has notified snakebite deaths as a notifiable disease to improve reporting, surveillance and anti-snake venom planning.
Key highlights
Direct fact
In August 2026, the Maharashtra Public Health Department notified snakebite deaths as a notifiable disease, and Health Minister Prakash Abitkar said government and private hospitals must report suspected, probable and confirmed cases through HMIS/DHIS-2 and IDSP.
Key specifics
- Government and private hospitals, medical colleges and medical practitioners must report 3 categories of snakebite cases: suspected, probable and confirmed.
- Reports will go to the District Health Officer or District Surgeon, and the data will be entered in HMIS/DHIS-2 and IDSP.
- The notification was prompted by the Gadchiroli incident at Japtalai village, Dhanora taluka, where 6 schoolgirls were bitten and 3 died.
- Snakebite Nodal Officers will be appointed at 3 levels: State, district and municipal.
- Patient records must include date and place of bite, age, sex, ASV vials administered, referrals and treatment outcome.
Exam lens
Polity-governance and health administration question type, notifiable disease, HMIS/DHIS-2, IDSP, ASV planning, Gadchiroli incident; TNPSC may ask which authority reports snakebite cases and why notification helps surveillance.