At WHA 71, Governments finally take important step to tackle global snakebite crisis
Governments finally take important step to tackle global snakebite crisis
MSF welcomes the adoption of a resolution at the World Health Assembly
24 May 2018, Geneva—At the 71stWorld Health Assembly today, 194 countries adopted a resolution on “Addressing the burden of snakebite envenoming.” Read the resolution here: http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA71/A71_17-en.pdf
This resolution is expected to provide a strong mandate for the World Health Organization secretariat to implement an ambitious snakebite ‘roadmap,’ mobilising governments and donors to respond to snakebite with the urgency and attention this neglected public health crisis demands.
Worldwide, snakebite envenoming kills an estimated 100,000 people every year,making it one of the deadliest neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) witnesses the devastating impact that snakebites have on victims, their families and communities in many of the places we work. In 2017, more than 3,000 patients were admitted to our clinics for snakebite treatment, predominantly in sub-Saharan Africa and in the Middle East. Read our factsheet for more information: https://msfaccess.org/content/fact-sheet-ending-neglect-snakebite
Quote from Julien Potet, Policy Advisor (NTDs, Vaccines), MSF Access Campaign:
“Too many people die or become disabled because they were unfortunate enough to have been bitten by a snake, and face the devastating reality that they can’t access an effective and affordable treatment. We are encouraged to see that governments are finally getting serious about tackling snakebite, because it’s a major killer that has remainedone of the world’s most neglected public health emergencies for far too long. Passing a resolution means that snakebite will now be on both national and international health agendas, and governments now need to make concrete commitments.
We want to see the ambitious snakebite ‘roadmap,’ that this resolution kick starts, lead to a reduction in snakebite-induced death and disability.To make the WHO snakebite roadmap a success, governments and donors need to pledge enough fundsto scale up effective interventions, in particular technical assistance for countries to roll out the roadmap; procurement and supply of affordable, quality-assured anti-venom products; and a dramatic reduction of out-of-pocket costs for snakebite victims, for whom access is a matter of life or death.”
Shailly Gupta
Press & Communications Officer
MSF Access Campaign
Médecins Sans Frontières
Ph: +41 22 849 9334
M: +41 79 203 13 02
Skype: Shailly.17 |Twitter: @shaillytweeting