The recent incident of a school student being bitten by a snake in a school in Telangana, turns the spotlight onto the scaly reptiles once again. However, the point to note is that snakebites are a serious problem in India and students are not immune. In fact, students are at a higher risk of snakebites than the general population, as in rural areas, they are more likely to spend time near forests and so on, which makes them prone to it.
According to a study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in 2022, an estimated 10,000 students are bitten by snakes each year in India. Of these, about 1,000 students die, it says. The most common snakes that bite students are the common krait, Indian cobra, Russell's viper, and saw-scaled viper.
There are a number of factors that contribute to the high number of snakebites among students in India. These include:
- The widespread presence of venomous snakes in India
- The lack of awareness about snakebite prevention and treatment among students.
- The limited availability of antivenom.
- The lack of access to healthcare in rural areas
There are a number of things that can be done to reduce the number of snakebites on students in India, including:
- Increasing awareness about snakebite prevention and treatment among students
- Improving the availability of antivenom
- Improving access to healthcare in rural areas
