Kerala to Produce Local Snakebite Antivenom on World Snake Day

At a World Snake Day event, Kerala’s Forest Minister A. K. Saseendran announced a plan to locally produce snakebite antivenom, tailored to Kerala-specific venom types. Currently, all antivenom is imported from other states, which may not match local species. The initiative involves venom extracted by local rescue teams and distribution through Primary Health Centres. Kerala aims to reduce snakebite fatalities—from 119 in 2019 to just 30 in 2024—per its Snake App tracking data. With over 6,200 trained volunteer snake rescuers (including 300 women), the goal is to make the state snakebite-death-free within five years.