The Plateau State Government has affirmed the availability of free Echitab Polyvalent Anti-Snake Venom (ASV) in designated health facilities across the state.
Mr Kim Bot, Executive Secretary of the Plateau State Drugs and Medical Commodities Management Agency (PS-DMCMA), disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Jos.
Bot, a pharmacist, said snakebite was a medical emergency and assured that no life would be lost in Plateau due to lack of access, cost or delays in obtaining anti-snake venom.
According to him, a deliberate and well-coordinated supply chain has been established to ensure that Echitab ASV is stocked in strategic hospitals, general hospitals and designated treatment centres across the state.
He said the initiative was aimed at ensuring that every snakebite victim, whether in a remote village or an urban centre, could access life-saving treatment without any financial burden.
“We assure the public that adequate quantities of Echitab ASV are in stock, and distribution is ongoing across the 17 local government areas (LGAs) and all designated treatment centres.
“Health workers have been instructed to administer the anti-venom immediately once a snakebite is diagnosed, and no patient should be asked to pay for it—not even a naira.
“Any health facility, staff member or individual found withholding, diverting or charging for this life-saving drug will be dealt with decisively,” he warned.
The executive secretary commended Plateau State Governor, Mr Caleb Mutfwang, for his intervention in procuring the Echitab Anti-Snake Venom and making it completely free of charge.
He said the governor’s action would save hundreds of lives, reduce disability and suffering among snakebite victims, and restore public confidence in the state’s healthcare system.
