Aiming to prevent deaths caused by rabbies and snake bites, the Central Government is implementing the National Rabies Programme, and has directed states to procure anti-snake venom serum under National Health Mission (NHM), parliament was told on Friday.

"For prevention of deaths due to rabies, Government is implementing the National Rabies Control Programme in the country. States have also been asked to procure anti-snake venom serum under NHM," Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.In 2016, 1,064 people died of snake bites in India, while 86 people died of rabbies.West Bengal reported the highest deaths by both snake bites and rabbies - 138 and 47 respectively.Rabies is transmitted to the humans following bite of animals like dogs, cats, monkeys, mongoose, and so on infected by rabies virus. 

"The states are asked to organise training of health professional on animal bite management and ID route of anti-rabies vaccination, communication activities for community awareness on do's and don'ts in the event of animal bite, strengthening surveillance of human rabies and strengthening lab diagnostics for rabies," said Patel.