Snake bites kill every year, up to 138.000 people

Poisonous snakes are a threat to nearly six billion people in the world. Every day, almost bitten 7400 people of poisonous snakes, 2.7 million people in the year. The poison can not only cause terrible pain, but also permanent damage and kill, warns the world health organization (WHO).

Up to 138.000 people die, therefore, in the world according to the bite of poisonous snakes. Most of the cases occur in Africa and India. An additional 400,000 people stay keep end damage, including blindness, amputations or post-traumatic stress disorder.

Healer schools, inform people, against poison produce

The world health organization has now developed a strategy to halve the death toll by 2030. Well, 82 million dollars (73 million euros), according to their calculations.

A core aspect is to inform people in vulnerable areas better. Snake bites are for millions of people around the world is a daily threat. Children can be bitten on the way to school, farmers in the field or women in the corridor to the toilet. Where possible, can prevent the Wearing of shoes, snake bites, says the WHO.

Because people go to many places after that, traditional healers, should also be trained and the patients with alarming symptoms in the clinics. In villages are also trained first-aiders and First-aid medicines are provided. The WHO also wants to promote the, as yet, totally insufficient production of anti-venom.

The Problem is that the majority of agents act only against the venom of certain species of snakes. Antisera with a broad spectrum of activity are rare. On the African market, Asian products are sometimes in circulation, which did not help in the case of the local poisonous snakes. The WHO has set for snake bites, for this reason, 2017 on the list of neglected tropical diseases.