Loading article...
Nigerian Senate demands hospitals stock life-saving antivenoms after 26-year-old singer dies from snake bite in Abuja
The Nigerian Senate has asked the Ministry of Health to produce and enforce national guidelines requiring hospitals to stock life-saving antidotes such as antivenoms after 26-year-old singer Ifunaya Wangenev died from a snake bite at her residence in Abuja. Lawmakers warned that victims are frequently forced to move between hospitals during the critical golden hour searching for treatment.
The Nigerian Senate has taken urgent action following the death of 26-year-old singer Ifunaya Wangenev, who died from a snake bite at her residence in Abuja. Through a motion, the Senate has asked the Ministry of Health to produce and enforce national guidelines on stocking life-saving antidotes in hospitals across the country.
Lawmakers expressed deep concern that a significant number of public and private hospitals across Nigeria do not stock essential life-saving antidotes such as antivenoms and antitoxins, or maintain insufficient quantities. This leads to dangerous delays in treatment, unnecessary referrals and preventable loss of lives.
The motion highlighted that victims of snake bites and other poison emergencies are frequently compelled to move from one hospital to another in search of antidotes during the critical golden hour, substantially increasing mortality rates. It is tragic that the deceased went the way she died, but the bigger lesson for us is the need for policies that must drive our healthcare, a senator stated.
The fatalities caused by snake bites can be very painful and indeed avoidable, lawmakers emphasized. The Senate called for policies that ensure hospitals maintain adequate supplies of antivenoms and other emergency antidotes, particularly in areas where snake encounters are common.
Nigeria records thousands of snake bite cases annually, particularly in rural areas, but the lack of readily available antivenoms in healthcare facilities means that many victims die or suffer permanent disability due to treatment delays. The Senate's intervention is seen as a critical step toward addressing this long-standing gap in the country's public health infrastructure.