The World Health Organisation recently passed a resolution making snakebites a global health priority. Led by a team of scientists from around the world, the W-H-O will now develop a global plan to tackle the issue, including cheaper antidotes and medical training.
Being bitten by a snake is the stuff of nightmares for people across the world, but, for many people, it is also a reality.
An estimated 2.7 million individuals are bitten by venomous snakes each year.
More than 100,000 people die from their injuries, and around three times as many suffer amputations and other permanent disabilities.
Scientists and advocates have been urging global action for years, calling snakebites one of the most neglected tropical diseases today.
The director of the University of Melbourne's Australian Venom Research Unit, David Williams, will be a core member heading a new World Health Organisation drive to address the issue.
Stergos Kastelloriou reports
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