Snakebite Envenoming in Zambia: From Neglect to National Public Health Priority

Snakebite envenoming (SBE) remains a major yet neglected public health challenge that disproportionately affects poor rural and agricultural communities in Zambia. Despite increasing recognition of SBE as a neglected tropical disease by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the condition continues to receive limited attention within national health planning, financing, surveillance, and emergency care systems. National Ministry of Health surveillance data indicate that approximately 98,250 snakebite cases were reported in Zambia between 2020 and 2025, highlighting a substantial but under-recognised burden. However, significant gaps persist in antivenom availability, healthcare worker training, surveillance quality, community awareness, and locally generated research. This Perspective examines Zambia's current policy landscape for snakebite prevention and management, including the integration of SBE into the Zambia Neglected Tropical Diseases Master Plan (2022–2026) and the recent development of the national Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Snakebite in Zambia. While these developments represent important progress, implementation challenges threaten their effectiveness, particularly in rural and resource-limited settings where the burden is greatest. We argue that SBE should be elevated to a national public health priority and fully integrated into broader health-system strengthening efforts. Key priorities include strengthening surveillance systems, integrating snakebite management into pre-service and in-service healthcare worker training, improving equitable access to quality-assured antivenoms, expanding community engagement and referral systems, promoting locally led research, and establishing dedicated domestic financing mechanisms for snakebite prevention and response. Addressing these gaps through coordinated, multisectoral policy action is essential if Zambia is to achieve the WHO target of reducing snakebite-related deaths and disability by 50% by 2030. Prioritising SBE within national health policy frameworks would not only improve clinical outcomes but also advance health equity for vulnerable and underserved populations disproportionately affected by snakebite envenoming.