Kerala 108 service says claim of antivenom in ambulances is false

Kerala's 108 ambulance service has said that a message circulating on social media about snakebite antivenom is false, according to an Express Kerala fact-check dated 4 October 2026.

The message claimed that snakebite victims could get antivenom injections at home, with 108 ambulances reaching the patient's house to give the injection and basic treatment. The state media coordinator of the 108 ambulance service, who was not named in the report, said this is untrue. In a press release, the authorities stated that 108 ambulances do not carry antivenom and that the injection will not be given inside the ambulance.

According to the report, ambulance crews take snakebite patients to a hospital that has antivenom. People bitten by a snake should call 108 for emergency help and should not delay in the expectation that antivenom will be available in the ambulance. Getting the patient quickly to a hospital with treatment facilities is the priority.

Why it matters for ambulance owners and drivers

• Crews may face questions from patients' families based on such messages, and the official position is that antivenom is not carried in 108 ambulances.
• The stated priority is quick transport to a hospital that has antivenom.