Snakebite envenoming (SBE) is a significant public health issue in the WHO South-East Asia Region, affecting millions annually and causing tens of thousands of deaths. The region is a biodiversity hotspot for venomous snakes, and the intersection of human activities with snake habitats increases the risk of snakebites. The Regional Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming (2022–2030) aims to reduce snakebite-related deaths and disabilities by 50% by 2030 through comprehensive strategies involving community engagement, improved access to treatment, and enhanced surveillance.
The webinar series aims to:
- Raise awareness: Increase understanding of snakebite envenoming as a critical public health issue.
- Provide updates: Share the latest data and developments in snakebite surveillance and control.
- Capacity building: Equip participants with knowledge and skills to effectively manage snakebite cases and engage communities in prevention efforts.
Each webinar will focus on a specific area covering national to global updates and surveillance, education and effective community engagement as well as emergency response and case management.
Moderated by National Centre for Disease Control India and WHO-SEARO.
17 July 2025: Progress and Updates on Snakebite Envenoming - Latest Insights and Data for Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming in South-East Asia
24 July 2025: Empowering Communities Against Snakebites - Best Practices and Innovative Approaches to Community Education and Involvement
31 July 2025: Mastering Emergency Response for Snakebites - Advanced Techniques in Treatment and Case Management
Time: 14:00 - 16:30 India Standard Time
Maldives (Male): IST – 00:30; Sri Lanka (Colombo): IST + 00:00; Nepal (Kathmandu): IST + 00:15; Bangladesh (Dhaka) & Bhutan (Thimphu): IST + 00:30; Myanmar (Yangon): IST + 01:00; Thailand (Bangkok): IST + 01:30; DPR Korea (Pyongyang) & Timor Leste (Dili) IST + 03:30
Registration must be completed separately for each session in the webinar series. Please ensure you sign up for all sessions you wish to attend.
17 July 2025
Latest Insights and Data for Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming in South-East Asia
To watch the webinar recordings → Click here
| Time | Topic | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| Global updates and governance | ||
| 14:00 – 14:05 | Opening Remarks | Dr Suman Rijal, WHO-SEARO |
| Address | Ms. V.Hekali Zhimomi, Additional Secretary, MoH&FW, GoI | |
| Address | Prof. (Dr.) Ranjan Das, Director NCDC, MoH&FW, GoI | |
| 14:05 – 14:15 | Global updates | David Williams, WHO HQ |
| 14:15 – 14:25 | Programmatic activities and support on snakebite envenoming in the Region | George Phillips, Wellcome Trust |
| 14:25 – 14:45 | Successful programme development and multi-sectorial engagement | Ajit Shewale, India |
| 14:45 – 14:55 | Indonesia’s strategy to reduce the fatality of snakebites | Tri Maharani, Indonesia |
| Burden assessment | ||
| 14:55 – 15:05 | Burden of snakebite in Bangladesh | Abdullah Abu Sayeed, Bangladesh |
| 15:05 – 15:15 | Assessing the burden of snakebite in Nepal applying a One Health approach | Sanjib Sharma, BP Koirala, Nepal |
| 15:15 – 15:30 | Questions & Answers | All previous speaker |
| 15:30 – 15:35 | Break | |
| 15:35 – 15:45 | WHO progress on predicting snake habitats and snakebite risk using a mechanistic approach | Anna Pintor, WHO HQ |
| Data collection, management and reporting | ||
| 15:45 – 15:55 | WHO DHIS2 country reporting tool | David Williams, WHO HQ |
| 15:55 – 16:05 | Data collection: differentiating snakebites from snakebite envenoming | Malick Gai, WHO South Sudan |
| 16:05 – 16:15 | Establishment of Papa New Guinea’s antivenom inventory and data management system | David Williams, WHO HQ |
| 16:15 – 16:30 | Questions & Answers | All previous speaker |
24 July 2025
Best Practices and Innovative Approaches to Community Education and Involvement
To watch the webinar recordings → Click here
| Time | Topic | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| Community awareness and training | ||
| 14:00 – 14:05 | Opening of the webinar | |
| 14:05 – 14:15 | WHO Community Education Toolkit | Bethany Moos, WHO HQ (recorded presentation) |
| 14:15 – 14:25 | Awareness outreach at the grassroots level - Capacity building of medical staff & health workers | Priyanka Kadam, Snakebite Healing and Education Society India (recorded presentation) |
| 14:25 – 14:35 | Community engagement in Bangladesh | Md. Abul Faiz, Bangladesh |
| 14:35 – 14:50 | Effective and safe first aid for communities | David Williams, WHO HQ |
| 14:50 – 15:00 | Safe snake handling practice and training of snakebite first aid - the prevention through community education in Thailand | Taksa Vasaruchapong, Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute, Thai Red Cross Society |
| 15:00 – 15:10 | SERPENT (Snake Emergency Response Programme & Response Tool | Jose Louies, Indiansnakes.org |
| 15:10 – 15:30 | Questions & Answers | All previous speaker |
| 15:30 – 15:35 | Break | |
| Spotlight: Community champions | ||
| 15:35 – 15:45 | · Gnaneswar Ch and Rom Whitaker | Madras Croc Bank, India |
| 15:45 – 15:55 | · Dr Sadanand Raut | Maharashtra, India |
| 15:55 – 16:05 | · Deb Pandey | Nepal |
| 16:05 – 16:20 | Questions & Answers | All previous speaker |
| 16:20 – 16:30 | Community education video | NCDC India |
31 July 2025
Effective Approaches to Treating and Managing Snakebite Envenoming Cases
To watch the webinar recordings → Click here
| Time | Topic | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency response | ||
| 14:00 – 14:05 | Opening of the webinar | |
| 14:05 – 14:30 | Interactive session: emergency response How to develop locally relevant flashcards/treatment algorithms for health facilities – examples & discussion | Ravikar Ralph, CMCV (recorded presentation) Facilitation: David Williams, WHO HQ |
| 14:30 – 14:40 | Introducing antivenoms | David Williams, WHO HQ |
| 14:40 – 14:55 | Decentralization of snakebite antivenom treatment to indigenous community health centers in the Brazilian Amazon: From demand to the first treatment (the SAVING Program) | Wuelton Monteiro, Brazil (recorded presentation) |
| 14:55 – 15:05 | Lessons learnt from reviewing SBE in the WHO African Region | Mike Turner, WHO HQ (recorded presentation) |
| 15:05 – 15:10 | Break | |
| Case management | ||
| 15:10 – 15:25 | SBE case management and capacity building in Bangladesh | Md. Robed Amin, Bangladesh |
| 15:25 – 15:40 | SBE case management and referral protocol development and capacity building | NCDC India |
| 15:40 – 15:55 | SNAICS (Snakes, Artificial Intelligence, and Communities) - Artificial Intelligence for identifying biting snakes in a healthcare setting in Nepal | Rafael Ruiz de Castaneda, University of Geneva |
| 15:55 – 16:25 | Questions & Answers | All previous speaker |
| 16:25 – 16:30 | Closing remarks | Aya Yajima, WHO-SEARO |