Assam’s Demow Model Selected for National Study on Snakebite Management

Why in News

• The Demow Model from Sivasagar district, eastern Assam, has been selected for scientific evaluation and potential nationwide replication under a major research project sanctioned by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

About the ICMR Project

• Duration: 4 years
• Funding: ₹13.5 crore
• Objective: To tackle the public health challenge of snakebite envenoming in India.
• Project Title: Zero Snakebite Death Initiative: Community Empowerment and Engagement for Mitigation of Snakebite Envenoming.

Implementing Framework

• The research will be conducted under the banner of SARPA (Snakebite Awareness, Response, Prevention, and Action).

Key Focus Areas of the Project

• Development of a unified, replicable, and effective national model for snakebite prevention and management.
• Integration of proven regional strategies from across India.
• Scientific evaluation of community-led approaches to reduce snakebite mortality.

About the Demow Model

• Originated in Demow area of Sivasagar, Assam.
• Emphasises strong community engagement and participation.
• Relies on:
  • Community awareness and education
  • Trained local volunteers
  • Robust referral and response networks for timely medical care
• Has demonstrated success in preventing snakebite deaths through early response and coordinated action.

Significance

• Recognises grassroots, community-based solutions as critical to public health interventions.
• Supports India’s goal of eliminating preventable snakebite deaths.
• Provides a potential scalable national framework, especially relevant for rural and high-risk regions.

Snakebite envenoming

• The WHO recognises snakebite envenomation as a “neglected tropical disease”.
• As per the Central Bureau of Health Investigation (CBHI) reports (2016-2020), the average annual frequency of snakebite cases in India is around 3 lakhs and about 2000 deaths occur due to snakebite envenoming.
• In India, around 90% of snakebites are caused by the ‘big four’ among the crawlers – common krait, Indian cobra, Russell’s viper and saw scaled viper (echis carinatus).
• National Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming (NAP-SE) in India aims to reduce snakebite deaths by halve by 2030.

Sources: PIB & The Hindu