SERPENT

A Public Health Project

Snakebite Envenoming Rural Prevention & Treatment (SERPENT) is a Little Leaders Foundation Public Health Project. This grassroots project conducts research into a community based approach to bring awareness about endemic venomous snakes to rural communities in Sri Lanka.

WHO emblem with a snake wrapped around a staff, surrounded by a laurel wreath, on a yellow background.

The WHO reinstated Snakebite Envenoming as a Neglected Tropical Disease

Pie chart with one third section highlighted, labeled 1/3 on a yellow background.

Almost 1/3 of snakebites victims in Sri Lanka are children under 15 years old

Icon illustration of ten children, six girls with pigtails and four boys, with one girl in black surrounded by a yellow circle background.

In a Sri Lankan snakebite research study, only 7% of the children survived

Snakebite Envenoming was reinstated as a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2017. “NTDs are diseases of neglected populations that perpetuate a cycle of poor educational outcomes and limited professional opportunities; in addition, are associated with stigma and social exclusion.” (WHO, 2024) Children under 15 years living in impoverished rural communities are amongst the vulnerable groups that are most affected by snakebite envenoming in Sri Lanka.

“The misconception that snakebite victims cannot be treated without bringing the snake with them, was voiced by multiple members of the community.”

Group of diverse people smiling and posing for a selfie outside a building with a wooden door and trees in the background.

Research is being conducted by Kintan van Leeuwen (Executive Director) and Floortje Tamerus (Volunteer) who are students at Leiden University of Applied Sciences.

Project SERPENT was developed in fulfillment of the requirements of Leiden University of Applied Sciences. During the final year of her study, Kintan succesfully completed the minor International Health Development.

Women and girls sitting in a circle in a classroom, engaging in a discussion or presentation, with educational posters and artwork on the walls, a window with yellow trim, and natural light coming in.

The data collection took place over a duration of three months, from March 2024 until June 2024 in Sri Lanka. Project SERPENT is endorsed by the Chief Medical Officer of the Curative Health Department in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The project function as a pilot, to be replicated around the country.

Infographic explaining the Serpent Project, which aims to raise awareness about snakebite envenoming in rural communities. The infographic includes four steps: 1) conducting a pre-test to assess knowledge, 2) holding a focus group to identify needs, 3) developing an intervention based on data, 4) conducting a post-test to evaluate success, with icons illustrating each step.

GOALS OF THE SERPENT PROJECT

Icon of a teacher pointing at a whiteboard, with the text 'Teacher Training' below, on a teal background.
Icon of a bar chart showing decreasing bars with a downward arrow, labeled '2' at the top left corner, and the text 'Decrease Snakebites' at the bottom.
Icon of two hands cradling a medical cross symbol, with the number 3 in the top left corner; text reads 'Protect health of children'
Icon of a medical document with a cross symbol and a shield with a checkmark, against a green background, with the text 'Prevent Long Term Health Complications'.
Illustration of a snake with the number five and text reading "Decrease the killing of snakes" on a teal background.
Icon of two hands forming a heart shape over a snake on the ground, with the text 'Awareness and Respect for Snakes'.

A True Story About Snakebite Envenoming

An older woman with gray hair tied back, smiling, wearing a black dress with orange and yellow flame-like patterns, standing indoors in front of a pinkish wall and wooden door.

Photography by Floortje Tamerus (2024)

“The story is about my second son who was three years old when it happened. At the time we were very poor and lived in the jungle. My father was a  storekeeper and he would store dry wood next to the veranda. On the night of the incident I had prepared food for my family. After dinner my son was very sleepy and wanted to rest early. He fell asleep outside on the veranda. After I cleaned the kitchen I carried my son, who was still sleeping, into the bedroom. This is when he started vomiting, all night long. The vomit looked white and bubbly. At first I thought it was food poisoning. The next day I brought him to the Ayurvedic Doctor. The reason I brought him to the traditional healer is because there was no hospital in the village. The Ayurvedic doctor suspected my son was having an allergic reaction. We brought my son home but his condition only got worse. On the second day we decided to bring him to the hospital which was 15 km away. My son’s body started to become very weak, his neck became weak and his head started to hang, he could not open his mouth and eyes anymore, nor could he speak. At the time my sister worked as a midwife in the Hospital. She had started to beg the doctors to take a blood test. By the time the blood results came back my son had passed away. The result was snakebite envenoming. I could not believe this because I had never seen the marks of a snakebite on my son’s body. When my sister and I started washing my son’s body as preparation for the burial, my sister found the marks of a snakebite on the side of the head behind his ear. I have a lot of regret that we did not find out earlier. My son could still be alive now if we had known he was bitten by a snake.”

Day-to-Day blogs of the SERPENT project

Three people seated at a conference table smiling for the camera, with a large bouquet of flowers and papers in front of them, in an office environment.

Introduction

Week 1
Colombo, Sri Lanka

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A rural landscape with a house in the distance, surrounded by trees and grass, under a cloudy sky.

Staying with a guest family

Week 2-3
Mannar Island, Sri Lanka

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A group of women, including a woman in a purple saree, sitting around a wooden table in a classroom with yellow walls, having a discussion, with notebooks, smartphones, and pens on the table.

Cobra’s in the playground

Pre test & Focus Groups (week 4)
Galle, Sri Lanka

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A group of young girls in white school uniforms and blue ties standing with a smiling woman in a white t-shirt outside a yellow school building surrounded by trees and greenery.

A Poster For Schools

Intervention & Results (week 6 - 12)
Colombo, Sri Lanka

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A young girl with short black hair and bangs, wearing a blue and white floral dress, sitting at a table with a striped tablecloth. She has a big smile, and an adult is holding her from behind. The background shows a classroom with a poster and colorf
A diverse group of women and children seated in a classroom, participating in a discussion or meeting. The room has educational posters, rainbow decorations, and bright natural light coming through the windows.
A woman sitting at a wooden table covered with an orange lace tablecloth, reading a printed document. On the table are various tools like scissors, magnifying glasses, and papers. There is a sign on the window that reads 'Fun with Science' in English
A person sitting at a cluttered table reading a book, with various items such as water bottles, notebooks, a pen, and electronic devices scattered on the table.
Children and adults sit around a table painting and decorating fabric for a craft activity in a classroom. Art supplies and snacks are on the table, with colorful artwork displayed on the walls in the background.
A woman with dark hair and a floral dress helps two young boys draw on a small whiteboard outdoors. The scene is set against a wooden fence and green grass.
A woman sitting at a table with children, engaging in a painting activity with colorful paints on a striped tablecloth inside a classroom.
A group of women and children seated in a classroom, listening to a woman with dark hair and white shirt who is speaking. The classroom has colorful posters, drawings, and educational materials on the walls and windows.
A young boy sitting at a table painting with a brush.
Group of women sitting and working with papers and smartphones at a wooden table.
Two young children painting with colorful paints at a table in an art classroom decorated with children's artwork on the walls.

“We don’t own the planet Earth, we belong to it. And we must share it with our wildlife.”

— Steve Irwin