State to produce antivenom locally, says Saseendran

Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran has announced that the State will soon launch a project in collaboration with the Health Department to produce snake antivenom locally.

Inaugurating the World Snake Day observance here on Wednesday, he said the antivenom at present used in Kerala was sourced from Tamil Nadu. “Studies have shown that the potency of snake venom can vary from region to region due to atmospheric differences. As a result, antivenoms may not neutralise the venom of the same species found in different regions. Hence, locally produced antivenom is essential for effective treatment,” he said, emphasising the importance of region-specific antivenom.

Pointing out that between 82,000 and 1.35 lakh people die from snakebites globally every year, the Minister said nearly half of those deaths occurred in India. “Kerala has historically reported high snakebite fatality rates.”

“However, efforts by the Forest department and the introduction of the SARPA (Snake Awareness, Rescue and Protection App) mobile application have significantly brought down the number of deaths. From 119 reported deaths in 2019, the figure dropped to 30 in 2024. The State aims to achieve zero deaths due to snakebites by 2030 as part of the Snake Envenomation Zero Mortality Kerala project,” Mr. Saseendran stated.

Head of Forest Force Rajesh Ravindran presided over the programme. Chief Wildlife Warden Pramod G. Krishnan also spoke on the occasion.