ASHENEWS reports that several farmers and fishermen across Niger state have died from snake bites as a result of the unavailability of anti-venom injections in public health facilities.
These farmers and fishermen get bitten by snakes when they go about the demands of their occupation as they often go through bushy and swampy areas.
ASHENEWS learnt that the victims are usually rushed to pharmacies and public health centers but they do not get to receive the anti-venom injections. Majority of the health centers do not have it while some pharmacies who have it sell it at exorbitant rate.
Some of the pharmacies sell it the anti-venom as high as N200,000. Inability to access the anti-venom often leads to the death of the victims of the snake bites while few are fortunate to access traditional methods to remove the snake venom.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the administration of anti-venoms have been the mainstay of primary treatment of snakebites.
Antivenoms work by boosting our immune response after a snakebite. They are made by immunizing donor animals such as horses or sheep with snake venoms. These animals have robust immune systems, and produce powerful antibodies that can bind to snake venom components, enabling our own immune defences to eliminate these toxins.
Antivenoms are obtained by harvesting and then purifying the antibodies from plasma produced by the donor animal. Good-quality antivenoms can literally make a difference between life and death.
The rising cause of deaths have given concern to the Niger state House of Assembly. The Legislators have called on the state government to provide free anti-venom injections to public health facilities across the state to reduce the fatality rate that occurs from snake bites.
The member representing Mokwa Constituency, Honorable Zakari Ndagi Kinbokun said that most of his constituents are affected and are probably among the those with the highest fatality rate of snake bites.
Kimbokun said, “incidents of snake bite is very rampant in Mokwa local government area. Unfortunately victims of snake bites end up losing their lives because anti-venom which is the only antidote is very difficult to get or those that have access to it know that it is usually very expensive and beyond the reach of most.
“An ample cost around N200, 000. The rise in number of deaths because of lack of access to anti-venom is becoming alarming and worrisome. This is not just perculiar to my constituency alone but cuts across the whole State”, he stated.
The Legislator said that unless the government intervenes and provides free anti-venom injections across public health facilities in the state, there will be a further increase in the number of deaths arising from snake bites.
“The Executive Arm of Government is called upon to immediately to immediately provide free anti-venom injections to public healthfacilities across the state in order to reduce the fatality rate arising from snake bites.”
