REPORT: Half of Nigerian well being amenities lack capability to deal with snakebite
A minimum of half of well being amenities in Nigeria lack the capability to adequately handle snakebite envenoming, a brand new international report has revealed, elevating issues about preventable deaths and long-term disabilities.
The report, launched by the Strike Out Snakebite (SOS) initiative to mark World Uncared for Tropical Ailments (NTDs) Day 2026, mentioned weak well being techniques, poor infrastructure and power shortages of antivenom proceed to drive excessive mortality in high-burden international locations, together with Nigeria.
The findings are based mostly on a survey of 904 frontline healthcare employees in Nigeria, Brazil, India, Indonesia and Kenya.
In accordance with the report, 50 % of well being employees mentioned their amenities lack the complete capability to handle snakebite circumstances.
It added that 99 % of respondents reported difficulties administering antivenom, the one therapy recognised by the World Well being Organisation (WHO) as important for snakebite care.
Nigeria’s state of affairs was described as notably alarming, with 98 % of healthcare employees surveyed reporting challenges in administering antivenom.
“Nigeria is house to 29 species of snakes, almost 41 % of that are venomous, but many victims nonetheless battle to entry well timed medical care,” the report mentioned.
Healthcare employees recognized priorities similar to improved entry to care, better-quality antivenom, stronger regulation, expanded coaching and elevated neighborhood training.
The report listed “delays in sufferers arriving at well being amenities (57 %), poor infrastructure and insufficient tools (56 %), and lack of coaching and scientific tips (42 %)” as key contributors to avoidable deaths and disabilities.
The findings come amid public outrage over the loss of life of Ifunanya Nwangene, an Abuja-based music expertise who reportedly visited two hospitals that might not administer antivenom earlier than she died.
The report mentioned 35 % of healthcare employees face day by day shortages of antivenom.
It additionally discovered that greater than 77 % reported life-threatening delays in sufferers searching for therapy, actually because victims first flip to conventional cures.
In accordance with the survey, 44 % of respondents mentioned avoidable delays have resulted in amputations or main surgical procedures, outcomes that incessantly push affected households into deeper poverty.
The report described snakebite envenoming as a disaster of inequality that disproportionately impacts rural communities, kids and agricultural employees.
“Snakebite envenoming kills roughly one particular person each 5 minutes worldwide, but stays severely underreported and underfunded regardless of being preventable and treatable,” the report mentioned.
Elhadj As Sy, co-chair of the International Snakebite Taskforce, mentioned the findings spotlight an pressing international emergency.
“Snakebite envenoming causes as much as 138,000 deaths yearly — one particular person each 5 minutes — and leaves an additional 400,000 with everlasting disabilities,” he mentioned.
He described it as baffling that one of many deadliest uncared for tropical illnesses stays largely invisible to decision-makers and donors.
“Nobody needs to be dying from snakebite envenoming,” As Sy mentioned, calling for pressing motion to make sure entry to well timed and efficient therapy.
He added that frontline well being employees are battling the illness inside fragile and under-resourced techniques.
“Too typically, conversations on international well being overlook those that shoulder the best burden — frontline healthcare employees,” he mentioned.
Pleasure Phumaphi, government secretary of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance, mentioned snakebite envenoming continues to assert lives regardless of being preventable.
“On World NTD Day, ALMA reaffirms our dedication to strengthen prevention and management by way of advocacy and country-led options,” Phumaphi mentioned.
The report referred to as on governments, donors and business gamers to scale up funding in analysis, develop inexpensive antivenom production, modernise well being infrastructure and combine snakebite care into nationwide well being plans.
It warned that snakebite envenoming at present receives solely a fraction of the funding required, regardless of inflicting as much as 138,000 deaths and 400,000 everlasting disabilities globally annually.