The number of deaths and injuries due to snakebite will be cut by half by 2030 under a new strategy launched by the World Health Organization.
Over the next year the WHO strategy will be piloted in 10 to 12 high-burden countries – still to be decided – and it will then be rolled out across the world. WHO also warned about a crisis in the supply of anti-venoms to treat snakebite and has called for research and development into new treatments so that it can build a stockpile.
“In sub-Saharan Africa there is only about five per cent of the anti-venom available that is actually needed,” he said.“We need to have good emergency care and health workers who can properly diagnose patients, can provide life support and can resuscitate patients,” he said.