As the peak period of snakebite approaches, the nation is hit with the paucity of Anti-Snake Venom (ASV), according to Dr Nandul Durfa, Managing Director, Echitab Study Ltd Guarantee.
Durfa, whose outfit is solely in charge of collecting and distributing Echitab ASV in the country, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Sunday in Jos, that there were “less than 200 vales left for the whole country’’.
“We have very few vales left. Our ASV supply is depleted. What we have is less than 200.
“We are expecting the next supply of 2,000 vales from Micropharm Ltd in Wales, UK, in the middle of March. On April 22, we shall also collect more ASV from ICP University in Costa Rica.
“But, my fear is the next three to four weeks. The quantity in the store is so little. The situation is particularly frightening because this is the peak period of snake bites. It could be disastrous.
“Snakebites are more rampant at this period because of the heat. Snakes are cold blooded animals and are usually forced out of their hiding places when it is hot.
“It is also a period farmers come out to clear their farms, preparatory to the farming season.
“It is also a period the rains start and people tend to clear the bushes. This period lasts till April and brings lots of farmers and herdsmen in contact with snakes.’’
He said that snakebites were also common when farmers harvest yam.
“Rats go to yam farms to eat yam; snakes go to the farm to wait for the rats. When farmers reach their farms for the harvest, they get bitten,’’ he explained.
Durfa said that children, who hunt for rats, also come in contact with snakes.
“Very often, these children insert their little fingers into holes and get bitten by snakes,’’ he said.
Durfa said that most snake treating centres like the General Hospital, Kaltungo in Gombe State, and the Zamko Comprehensive Centre, Langtang, in Plateau, were already receiving many cases of snakebites.
“Some of these centres sometimes receive an average of 16 cases per day. The Kaltungo centre received 3,086 cases last year. If the situation gets as bad as we had last year, some patients may not have ASV,’’ he said.
The expert said Presidential Initiative for the North-East had procured some ASV for the snake treatment centre in Kaltungo Hospital.
“That effort has brought some relief to the patients that throng that centre on daily basis. We want voluntary agencies, NGOs and state governments to also procure the ASV to help the victims,’’ he said. He regretted that not much attention was paid to victims of snakebites, and blamed that on a claim that the poor people were mostly the victims of the menace.
“Everyone should be interested in assisting victims of snakebites because those affected are mostly the productive group – the farmers, youths and herdsmen – responsible for our food, milk and meat.’’
