Nigeria's Snakebite Crisis: A Growing Public Health Emergency
Nigeria is grappling with a severe public health emergency as experts reveal the country records approximately 43,000 snakebite cases annually. This alarming statistic has overwhelmed hospitals nationwide, particularly due to critical shortages of life-saving antivenom treatments.
Financial Burden on Victims and Healthcare System
Health professionals have disclosed that snakebite victims are forced to pay between N180,000 and N250,000 per antivenom dose. This staggering cost represents approximately four months of total income for Nigerians earning the N70,000 minimum wage, placing treatment far beyond the reach of most rural farmers who are disproportionately affected.
The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria has joined calls for free nationwide access to antivenom, advocating for local manufacturing to address the over 2,000 preventable snakebite-related deaths recorded each year. Researchers on Neglected Tropical Diseases have noted that weak health systems, poor infrastructure, and antivenom shortages have left 50 percent of health facilities unable to treat snakebite envenoming effectively.
Tragic Death Sparks National Outcry
The crisis gained renewed national attention following the tragic death of Abuja-based rising singer Ifunanya Nwangene, aged 26, who reportedly died from a snakebite last Saturday. Nwangene, who rose to prominence after appearing on The Voice Nigeria in 2021 and was known for blending jazz, opera, classical music, and soul, has become a symbol of the urgent need for action.
In response to this tragedy, the Senate has demanded mandatory stocking of antivenom in hospitals nationwide. They have also urged state governments and the Federal Capital Territory Administration to establish coordinated emergency referral systems linking public and private healthcare facilities.
Experts Describe Situation as Neglected Emergency
The Toxinological Society of Nigeria, in a communiqué issued at the end of its 2nd Annual General Meeting on Snakebite Management and Research Interventions held at Gombe State University, described the situation as a neglected public health emergency. The Society confirmed Nigeria records approximately 43,000 snakebite cases annually with nearly 1,900 deaths.
A report by the global Strike Out Snakebite initiative revealed that at least 50 percent of health facilities in Nigeria lack the capacity to treat snakebite envenoming. The report emphasized that weak health systems and antivenom shortages continue to drive preventable deaths and long-term disabilities across the country.
Global Scarcity and Local Production Challenges
Dr. Nicholas Amani, Medical Director of the Snakebite Hospital and Research Centre in Kaltungo, Gombe State, described antivenom as a globally scarce commodity. He explained, "The truth is that anti-snake venom is a scarce commodity all around the world. The reason is that snakebite mainly affects the less privileged, farmers, and rural dwellers, people who do not really have a voice."
Dr. Amani further noted that even specialized hospitals currently lack adequate supplies of antivenom, adding that government efforts to address the challenge are still in progress.
Professor Patricia Lar, a medical microbiologist at the University of Jos, Plateau State, criticized Nigeria's reliance on imports from India, China, and the United Kingdom. She stated, "The anti-snake venom problem is that in our country, we're not committed to the production of the anti-snake venom. We have the science, we have people who are knowledgeable about it, but there is the general problem of a lack of commitment."
Dangerous First Aid Practices
Medical experts have warned against dangerous and outdated first aid practices that could reduce victims' chances of survival. Dr. Nicholas Amani-Hamman, Medical Director of the Snakebite Treatment and Research Hospital in Kaltungo, Gombe State, cautioned against tying the affected limb with pieces of cloth after a snakebite.
He also warned against using razor blades or sharp objects to extract supposed poison, stating that such actions are injurious and could significantly reduce a victim's chances of survival. Dr. Amani-Hamman emphasized that first aid response is critical in snakebite cases, advising that the affected limb should not be used or tied.
Calls for Government Action
Health experts have urgently called on the Federal Government to:
- Subsidise antivenom costs to make treatment affordable
- Import cheaper alternatives to address immediate shortages
- Develop local production capacity to ensure sustainable supply
- Make treatment freely available at primary healthcare centres nationwide
The growing crisis highlights the need for comprehensive government intervention to address what experts describe as a neglected public health emergency affecting thousands of Nigerians annually.
