Planning To Include Snakebite As Notifiable Disease Under Public Health Act, State Tells Kerala HC

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After an unfortunate incident in 2019, wherein a young student had succumbed to a snakebite, the high court took suo motu cognizance of the lack of medical facilities to treat them
The Kerala High Court has been informed that the government is thinking of notifying snakebite as a notifiable disease under the Kerala Public Health Act, 2023.
'It is also pointed out to us that the Director of Health Services has proposed notifying snakebite envenomation as a notifiable disease under the Kerala Public Health Act, 2023, and the proposal is currently under consideration by the state government," the high court noted, while hearing a suo motu case relating to lack of basic medical facilities to treat victims of snakebites.
The high court had taken cognizance of the issue after an unfortunate incident from 2019 involving a young student who succumbed to a snakebite.
Last week while hearing the issue, the high court went through a circular issued by the Additional Director of General Education dated May 30, 2025, whereby the authority concerned has placed the burden of medical care, training, and related responsibilities upon the school authorities.
Noting that the circular issued by the Additional Director of General Education mainly places responsibility on the school, but it does not provide sufficient guidance to the school in respect of the subject of snakebites, the bench led by Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar has observed, 'Therefore, we are of the opinion that the matter needs to be placed before the Chief Secretary to look into the issue and to consider how, for the effective implementation of the methodology under the Circular, the Local Self Government Department, the Health Department, and the Forest Department can be involved."
The bench also comprising Justice Shoba Annamma Eapen has thus ordered, 'Accordingly, we direct that the Circular dated May 30, 2025, issued by the Additional Director of General Education, be placed before the Chief Secretary, Government of Kerala, to look into the same and issue necessary directions for seeking inputs from the Local Self Government Department, the Health Department, and the Forest Department, so that a robust plan in respect of the above subject matter can be prepared, with the active involvement of all the three departments."
First Published:
June 12, 2025, 16:13 IST

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