Snakebite Envenoming

In 2015, a chance encounter introduced us to a topic for our next documentary – an ignored and ongoing global crisis that never made the headlines. We immediately decided to lend our foundation’s storytelling and filmmaking expertise to the issue of snakebite envenoming.

When we learned the numbers

Up To

Die Annually

BETWEEN

300000 to 500000

DISABLED AND MAIMED ANNUALLY

We had to step in.

With only a handful of scientists and advocates fighting for solutions, with no global funding or policy and with more monthly deaths than the total number who died from Ebola in 26 months, we immediately assembled a production team – off to five continents to give a voice to the voiceless.

The result? Our eye-opening documentary “Minutes to Die”.

Official Minutes to Die Trailer

Since the film’s release, “Minutes to Die” has been screened more than 400 times around the world. From key conferences where policy makers and philanthropy gathered, to global health programs at universities around the globe, we took a unique distribution approach. We’ve used the film to create noise around the unknown issue and to open doors with NGOs and global health leaders.

Scroll right for more images

We held roundtable convenings with biotech and technology experts in the United States, screenings and discussions at the World Health Organization and collaborated to create short films to grow the snakebite tent with Medicins San Frontieres, WHO and with the late former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and his team at the Kofi Annan Foundation.

The late Kofi Annan

The late Kofi Annan

Along with a groundswell of advocacy, a growing commitment from WHO member states and the passion of snakebite scientists who had long hoped for movement, in May 2019, the WHO unveiled a highest priority global strategy for snakebite envenoming. The aim is to reduce deaths and disabilities by half by 2030.

Today, we are grateful to the UK’s Wellcome Trust who recently pledged $100 million to snakebite research, development and delivery. We’re encouraged to see organizations and institutions inside and outside snakebite, developing new treatments, improving upon existing antivenoms and think-tanking new devices and diagnostic tools.

In addition to direct grants to kick-start programs at WHO and funding for a host of snakebite-related initiatives on the ground, the Lillian Lincoln Foundation has continued to see this issue through. In 2019, we launched a series of snakebite prevention videos in 12 languages and dialects for Africa and India. This content is being disseminated on the ground in schools, community gatherings and via WhatsApp. We know targeted messaging getting into the minds of farmers, homemakers and children will no doubt save lives.

We’re overwhelmingly proud to have contributed to this movement.

Visit: www.minutestodie.com