Question: Consider the following statements with respect to the recent study on Snakebite Mortality in India:
(1) The World Health Organization (WHO) recognises snakebite as a top-priority neglected tropical disease.
(2) India recorded 1.2 million snakebite deaths in the 10-year period from 2009 to 2019
(3) The numbers for annual snakebite deaths is highest in the Uttar Pradesh
Which is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3
(d) 1,2 and 3
Answer:(c)
Context:
- The Centre for Global Health Research (CGHR) at the University of Toronto, Canada recently released a study titled ‘Snakebite Mortality in India: A Nationally Representative Mortality Survey’.
Findings of the Report:
- India recorded 1.2 million snakebite deaths in the 20-year period from 2000 to 2019 with an average of 58,000 deaths caused by snakebite annually.
- Around 70% of these deaths occurred in low altitude, rural areas of eight States — Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan and Gujarat.
- Half of all the snakebite deaths occurred during the monsoon period from June to September.
- Snakebite deaths occurred mostly in rural areas (97%), were more common in males (59%) than females (41%), and peaked in the age group of 15-29 years (25%).
- The numbers for annual snakebite deaths were highest in the States of Uttar Pradesh (8,700), Andhra Pradesh (5,200) and Bihar (4,500).
Additional Fact:
- The World Health Organization (WHO) recognises snakebite as a top-priority neglected tropical disease.
- Indian anti-venoms neutralise venom from only the spectacled cobra (there are three other Indian cobra species), common krait (there are seven other krait species), Russell’s viper and saw-scaled viper, whereas there are 12 other snake species causing fatal bites in the country.
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