Kochi, Sep 26 (NationPress) The Kerala High Court has provided comprehensive instructions to the state government regarding snakebite management and fundamental healthcare in educational institutions while resolving a writ petition concerning a snakebite incident from 2019 involving a school student.

In delivering the verdict, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Shoba Annamma Eapen mandated the state to circulate a notification within two weeks, detailing the guidelines established during a high-level meeting on September 1.

The guidelines aim to optimize both preventive measures and emergency responses to snakebite occurrences in schools throughout the state.

The High Court instructed that these guidelines be made available in both English and Malayalam on the official government website, along with email addresses for public feedback.

Government entities and agencies are to be explicitly informed of their roles and responsibilities.

Significantly, the court clarified that schools should not be tasked with obligations, such as ensuring the presence of anti-venom, which are the responsibility of government departments.

"The entire burden cannot be placed on schools to undertake responsibilities beyond their capabilities, like ensuring the availability of anti-venom. The circular should reflect these adjustments accordingly," the court stated.

The court also ordered that the working group formed on September 1 continue as a Joint Committee chaired by the Chief Secretary until a permanent monitoring framework is put in place.

This Committee will supervise compliance, review and revise the guidelines, and may partner with the Kerala State Legal Services Authority and NGOs active in this field.

A standard operating procedure (SOP) will be established for monitoring and reporting, with the Committee convening at least biannually.

Nodal officers will be designated at both state and district levels to gather data and present it to the Committee.

Furthermore, the High Court urged the government to accelerate the development of anti-venom vaccines in collaboration with relevant organizations.

The state has also been directed to implement measures within two months to classify snakebite as a notifiable disease under the Kerala Public Health Act, following a 2024 communication from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Through these directives, the High Court concluded the petition, underscoring the necessity for structured, government-led initiatives to enhance snakebite prevention and emergency responses in educational institutions across Kerala.