A man identified as Victor Mkpofor has shared a harrowing experience of how a snake bite victim almost lost his life due to the unavailability of anti-venom in hospitals across Calabar, Cross River State, including the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH). The incident has reignited concerns about the deteriorating state of emergency healthcare in Nigeria.
In a Facebook post on Monday, May 18, 2026, Victor revealed that the victim sustained a snake bite the previous day and was rushed to multiple hospitals but could not receive treatment because anti-venom was not available anywhere in the city.
After publicly seeking help on Facebook, Victor and others resorted to alternative remedies suggested by users. He expressed relief that the victim is now recovering well, though uncertain which remedy proved effective.
“Pray that Nigeria never happens to you. Imagine an incident where, after several hours, they still couldn’t find anti-venom in Calabar, including at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital,” he wrote.
He criticized the government for failing to provide basic medical supplies despite receiving monthly allocations. “Meanwhile, the state receives allocations every month, they have a Commissioner for Health, House of Representatives members, senators and other government officials. When we complain about bad governance, some sycophants say we talk too much. Maybe Nigeria should be removed from the world map, because nothing is actually working.”
Victor thanked those who suggested remedies, stating, “Thank God for everyone who suggested remedies. I don’t even know which one worked, because we tried almost all of them. But the good news is that, he is fine now and doing well.”
