For 50 years despite frequent initiatives, meetings and reports, WHO and their expert advisers in this field have failed to find a solution to the problem of reducing snakebite mortality and morbidity for both children and adults in developing countries. This situation has arisen from three main problem areas that have dominated the debate: 1. The problem of epidemiology –the belief that high mortality numbers are necessary to convince donors to provide funds, 2. The problem of policy – that always asking the same experts the same questions will somehow generate new answers. 3. The problem of sustainable and affordable anti snake venom provision. In the key area of epidemiology, which provides data on the requirements for anti snake venom little progress has been made. This has impacted on anti snake venom provision. Alternative approaches, which demonstrate effective methods of achieving, sound epidemiology for anti snake venom volume estimation and in the provision of the product itself have been largely excluded. This paper provides a review of the current approach and how the long sort for reductions in mortality and morbidity can be achieved.

Key words: Snake Bites, World Health Organisation, Envenoming, Antivenoms, Health