Nashik: To eliminate snakebite fatalities and raise public awareness in rural areas, an ambitious initiative titled ‘Zero Snakebite Death Initiative: Community Empowerment and Engagement to Reduce Snakebite Poisoning – SARPA (Snakebite Awareness, Response, Prevention, and Action)’ has been launched in the Dindori and Surgana talukas of Nashik district.
This initiative is being implemented with a grant from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). It is being executed through the coordination of the ICMR-National Institute of Research on Women’s Health (ICMR-NIRWOH), Mumbai; the Model Rural Health Research Unit (MRHRU), Nashik District; and the Public Health Department of the Government of Maharashtra. The project has received approval from the Institutional Committee of the Directorate of Health Services, Government of Maharashtra, and is being implemented through the Nashik Zilla Parishad with inter-departmental coordination.
Initiative Across 48 Gram Panchayats
The initiative will be implemented across a total of 48 Gram Panchayats—32 in Dindori taluka and 16 in Surgana taluka. Five community volunteers will be appointed from each Gram Panchayat; these will include Gram Panchayat members, ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers, self-help group members, teachers, snakebite survivors, educated youth, and active citizens from the village.
Specialised Training
Selected volunteers will receive specialised training covering snakebite prevention, identification of venomous snakes, proper first aid, the importance of seeking immediate medical treatment after a snakebite, the eradication of superstitions, and effective public awareness strategies. Through this training, the volunteers will be entrusted with responsibilities as ‘citizen scientists.’
District Health Officer Dr Sudhakar More stated, “The implementation of this initiative in Nashik district is a matter of pride for the entire district. Following an evaluation of this initiative, similar community-based programs will be implemented in other snakebite-prone areas of Maharashtra.”
