Snakebite: A Neglected Crisis of Poverty and Poison

It’s one of the world’s deadliest health threats — yet most people never talk about it. Snakebites kill nearly 140,000 people every year, with India carrying the greatest share of tragedy and lifelong disability. In this episode, we uncover why a crisis of this scale remains in the shadows: from fragile rural health systems that can’t deliver antivenom in time, to the poverty-driven conditions that bring people and venomous snakes dangerously close. We follow the story of one survivor whose rescue required extraordinary luck, and explore how simple fixes — better sanitation, sturdier footwear, and smarter data — could save thousands of lives. With India rolling out a national plan, we ask: can a long-ignored killer finally be confronted head-on?https://www.economist.com/asia/2025/06/19/why-india-has-so-many-snakebites