THE federal government on Monday revealed that about two thousand people die yearly from snake bites with an average of 20,000 cases of snake bites recorded every year in the country.
Disclosing this at a press briefing to mark the 2021 International Snakebite Awareness Day (ISBAD) in Abuja on Monday, the Minister of State for Health, Dr Olorunnimbe Mamora, also said over 1,700 people lose their legs or arms due to snake bite.
He said states with the most cases of snake bites in Nigeria include Gombe, Plateau, Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Nasarawa, Enugu, Kogi, Kebbi, Oyo, Benue, and Taraba
ISBAD, which is commemorated on September 19 every year, is used to raise awareness on one of the world’s biggest hidden health challenges.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), snakebite particularly affects the most vulnerable members of society with majority of the victims often people living in remote rural areas, predominantly agricultural workers and people living in poorly constructed homes facing the highest risk but often with limited access to education, healthcare, and even footwear.
According to the Minister of State, snakebite “poisoning”, known as envenomation, has long been a public health problem in Nigeria, especially in rural areas. He said there are three main types of snake species responsible for envenomation in Nigeria.
“The Cobra or Naja nigricolis, the Puff Adder or Bitis arietans and the Carpet Viper or Echis ocellatus. The Carpet Viper is the one responsible for most, about 90 per cent of bites and 60 per cent of snakebite deaths,” Dr Mamora said.
He explained that snakebites in Nigeria occur at 497 cases per 100,000 people. “The snake bites cases increased recently as a result of excessive rainfall, leading to more morbidity and deaths connected with inadequate quantities of anti-snake-venom.
“States with the most cases of snakebite in Nigeria are Gombe, Plateau, Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Nasarawa, Enugu, Kogi, Kebbi, Oyo, Benue, and Taraba,” he said, adding that Nigeria is among countries worst affected by snake bites, reaching epidemic proportions.
“About 5 million people in the world are bitten by snakes every year and up to 2.5 million people suffer poisoning or envenomation.
“At least 100,000 of them die from the bites and about 300,000 amputated or suffer other permanent disabilities caused by snake bites,” he said.
In his remarks, the permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), Mamman Mahmuda, noted that from January 2018 to December 2020, over 45,834 cases of snake bite and 1,793 deaths were reported in the country. He said many cases still remain unreported due to the fact that they were not reported to health facilities.
He said the figure underscores the government’s determination to improve access to safe, effective and affordable anti-snake venom to treat victims.
