Snakebites
have killed 250 Nigerians in Gombe and Plateau states in the last three weeks-
New report
A report by
the News Agency of Nigeria has revealed that a scarcity of anti venom has led
to a spike in the number of deaths from snakebites in Plateau and Gombe states.
Figures from three snake treatment centres – General Hospital, Kaltungo, Ali
Mega Pharmacy, Gombe and Comprehensive Medical Centre, Zamko, Plateau State
show 250 confirmed deaths in just the last three weeks. A correspondent from
NAN who visited the treatment met a desperate situation with some of the
victims in critical conditions and the doctors helpless without the means to
alleviate their suffering. Abubakar Aliyu, Managing Director, Aliyu Mega
Pharmacy who spoke with NAN in Gombe said that more than 70 victims some of
whom come from Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi, Borno and Plateau States have died in
the last three weeks no thanks to a lack of anti venom. He said: “We receive an
average of 50 victims every day. Some arrive here in very critical conditions
and we just have to watch them die because we are helpless.
“An average
of six deaths are recorded daily. If you go to the snake treatment centre at
the Kaltungo General Hospital, you will pity the victims; the lucky ones among
them get supportive treatment, while many are left to fate since the drugs are
not available.
“Between
August and October, we received 750 victims. We were given 700 vials of the
anti-venom on August 31, but we exhausted them before October. Many people are
just dying. It is a major crisis." At the Snake Treatment Centre, Kaltungo
General Hospital, Gombe State
Abubakar
Ballah, the Snakebite Treatment Officer described the situation as "sad
and scary."
“We have a
serious crisis here. In the last one week, 139 patients were admitted with 77
absconding when we appeared helpless, owing to the non-availability of the
anti-snake venom drug.
“Some were
unconscious when they were brought here. Sometimes, it is corpses that are
brought to us.
“In the last
few days, we have recorded 21 deaths. The figure is more because many of those
that absconded were in bad shape; many others did not even bother to come here
because of the fore-knowledge of lack of anti-venom in the centre.
“The last
drug was used on October 13. We try to give vitamin K to the victims to enhance
blood clotting in the absence of anti-venom because bites from the viper snakes
cause bleeding which is difficult to control without anti-venom.
“It is a
critical period, but we are helpless. This is why we call on the government to
work with the Echitab Study Group to provide a lasting solution to this menace.
“Already,
some criminals are faking the drug and selling it at N43,000 per vial, contrary
to the original anti-snake venom sold by the Echitab Study Group at the cost of
between N13,500 to N30,000.
“What we
must avoid is a situation where desperate people produce fake drugs. We must
work toward an effective handling and supply of the drug to guarantee quality
and ensure that only genuine drugs are supplied to the treatment centres.”
The
situation was no less dire at the Comprehensive Medical Centre, Zamko, with
Titus Dajel, the Medical Superintendent, stating that more than 200 patients
were admitted in October alone.
“There are
many victims, but we cannot help because there is no anti-snake venom available
now. We have had more than 200 cases in the last one month, with many of them
losing their lives.’’
Mr Dajel
said unscrupulous traditional healers have taken advantage of the situation to
make a quick buck by promising remedies which turn out to be ineffective. He
said: “What the herbalists are doing is trial and error. Most victims bleed in
the brain because the venom is vicious; traditional healers cannot tackle that
because they concentrate on healing the wound."
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