Nigeria faces antivenom shortage as snakebites affect 43,000 annually

Health experts are calling on the Nigerian government to urgently address a severe public health crisis, as the nation records approximately 43,000 snakebite cases and nearly 1,900 deaths each year. A critical shortage of life-saving antivenom is a primary driver of these preventable fatalities.

The Toxinological Society of Nigeria has described the situation as a neglected public health emergency. Beyond the scarcity, the cost of treatment is prohibitive for many. A single dose of antivenom can cost between N180,000 and N250,000, an amount that represents roughly four months’ income for a worker on the N70,000 minimum wage.

The issue gained national attention following the recent death of Ifunanya Nwangene, a 26-year-old singer who rose to prominence on The Voice Nigeria in 2021. Her death from a snakebite prompted renewed calls for action from organizations like the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, which is advocating for free antivenom and the development of local manufacturing capabilities.

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According to a report by the global Strike Out Snakebite initiative, the problem is systemic. At least 50% of health facilities in Nigeria are not equipped to treat snakebite envenoming. The report highlighted that weak health systems, poor infrastructure, and antivenom shortages contribute to preventable deaths and long-term disabilities.

The study also found that 99% of Nigerian healthcare workers reported difficulties in administering antivenom, the only treatment recognized by the World Health Organization for snakebite care. This challenge is particularly acute in a country home to 29 snake species, of which nearly 41% are venomous.

Dr. Nicholas Amani, Medical Director of the Snakebite Hospital and Research Centre in Kaltungo, Gombe State, described antivenom as a “globally scarce commodity.” He attributed the chronic under-investment in its production and distribution to the fact that victims are often poor, rural farmers with little political influence.

“The truth is that anti-snake venom is a scarce commodity all around the world,” Dr. Amani stated. “The reason is that snakebite mainly affects the less privileged, farmers, and rural dwellers, people who do not really have a voice.”

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He confirmed the severity of the shortage, noting that even specialized treatment centers are currently without adequate supplies. “I want to make it very clear that even in specialised hospitals, we do not actually have anti-snake venom in our facilities currently,” he added.

The lack of access forces many victims to travel long distances for care, sometimes selling personal property to cover the costs. In some cases, such as with internally displaced persons in Benue State, victims have resorted to traditional medicine due to the unavailability of medical personnel and treatment.

Experts are urging the government to subsidize antivenom costs, import more affordable alternatives, and invest in local production to make the treatment widely and freely available, especially at primary healthcare centers across the nation.

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The Nigerian Senate has called for the mandatory stocking of antivenom in all hospitals following the recent death of a lawmaker, Honourable Nwangene, from a snakebite. The government has acknowledged the resurgence of snakebites as a major health challenge and confirmed that efforts to address it are underway.

In a recent session, lawmakers urged state governments and the Federal Capital Territory Administration to create coordinated emergency response systems. These systems would link public and private hospitals to ensure rapid access to life-saving medicines for emergencies like snakebites, scorpion stings, and poisoning, where treatment delays can be fatal.

Experts Blame Lack of Local Production and High Costs

Professor Patricia Lar, a medical microbiology expert at the University of Jos, stated that Nigeria has the scientific knowledge to produce antivenom but lacks the commitment to do so on a large scale. She explained that the country’s dependence on imports from India, China, and the United Kingdom makes the treatment prohibitively expensive and unavailable in most primary healthcare centres.

“The anti-snake venom problem is that in our country, we’re not committed to the production of the anti-snake venom,” Lar said. “We have the science, we have people who are knowledgeable about it, but there is the general problem of a lack of commitment… That is the reason the cost is exorbitant, and you don’t find it in every hospital or in primary healthcare centres where people should easily access it.”

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Professor Lar attributed the high number of snakebite fatalities to the prevalence of venomous snakes, even in the nation’s capital, combined with a shortage of expertise and antivenom at the primary care level. She stressed the need for a national policy to ensure antivenom is readily available and affordable.

“Unless we have this commitment and take it as a practice, as a policy to protect Nigerians’ health, we will continue to have high fatality,” she added, noting that prices ranging from N180,000 to over N250,000 are unaffordable for the average citizen.

A Neglected Health Priority

Echoing these concerns, Professor Chinyere Ukaga, a public health parasitologist, argued that antivenom scarcity persists because it is not a priority for federal policymakers. According to Ukaga, the Director of Academic Planning at Wigwe University, this neglect aligns with the World Health Organization’s classification of snakebite envenoming as a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD).

“Antivenom is still scarce in Nigerian hospitals because it has not been properly placed on the priority list by the Federal Government policymakers,” Ukaga stated. She noted that while hospitals in regions with frequent snakebites may have supplies, availability is minimal elsewhere.

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Professor Ukaga also pointed to a lack of public knowledge about immediate first aid for snakebites as a contributing factor to fatalities. She called on the government to elevate antivenom to a top health priority to encourage partnerships for awareness and nationwide supply. She further advocated for antivenom to be provided free of charge and emphasized the importance of public education as a preventive measure.

Meanwhile, Professor Lar advised communities to remain vigilant, keep their surroundings clean, and use chemical disinfection to deter reptiles. She urged the public to contact healthcare centres immediately after a snakebite and called on health professionals to be prepared for such emergencies.

Source: Punch