Reducing suffering, disability and death caused by snakebite envenoming

MSF witnesses the devastating impact that snakebites have on victims and their families and communities in many of the places we work. In hospitals in countries such as Ethiopia, South Sudan, Central African Republic and Yemen, MSF treats several thousand victims of snakebite annually. Worldwide, snakebite envenoming kills an estimated 100,000 people every year, making it one of the deadliest neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).

This briefing paper highlights six of the key actions that the WHO Secretariat, governments and donors should take to protect people’s health and reduce the suffering, disability and death that result from this preventable disease.