Archive · 27 Sep 2025
Healthcare Gaps Lead to Unreported Snakebite Deaths
In West Bengal, many people die from snakebites.
Sadly, a lot of these deaths aren't even recorded.
This is because the healthcare system has problems.
Sometimes, people go to healers instead of hospitals, or they get to the hospital too late for help.
Also, deaths might be wrongly labeled, hiding the real number of snakebite deaths.
This makes it hard to know how big the problem is and to help the people who are suffering.
Many snakebite deaths in West Bengal go unreported.
Government data records zero snakebite deaths despite evidence of cases.
Hospital records show over 100 snakebite cases in one hospital in 2022.
Victims often seek help from quacks or arrive at hospitals too late.
Misclassification of deaths as poisoning or sudden death further obscures the problem.
- Who
- Jhuma Sardar and other victims of snakebites
- What
- Snakebite deaths go unreported due to healthcare gaps and lapses in reporting.
- When
- Ongoing issue
- Where
- West Bengal, India
- Why
- Fractured healthcare system, misclassification of deaths and lack of access to treatment.
- Location
- West Bengal, India
- Issue
- Snakebite deaths, unreported in official data
- Key Issue
- Fractured healthcare system
- Official Records
- Zero snakebite deaths
- Reported Cases (One Hospital)
- Over 100 cases in 2022