Nigerian Senate Urges Stocking of Snake Anti-venom and Antidotes in Hospitals Nationwide

The Nigerian Senate has called on federal and state governments to ensure the availability of essential antidotes, including snake anti-venom, in both public and private hospitals across the country. This motion, sponsored by Senator Idiat Oluranti Adebul of Lagos West, was prompted by the increasing cases of medical emergencies such as snakebites, scorpion stings, poisonings, and drug overdoses that require urgent intervention.

Adebul highlighted the tragic death of Ifunanya Nwangen due to a snakebite in Abuja, underscoring the critical gap in emergency preparedness and antidote availability within Nigeria's healthcare system. The Senate stressed the importance of stocking these antidotes as neglecting snakebites and envenomation can lead to severe health complications and fatalities.

The World Health Organization's classification of snakebites as a neglected tropical disease further emphasized the urgency for improved access to safe and effective antivenoms in Nigeria.