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| The late Ifunanya Nwangene |
The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) is calling on the federal government to provide free anti-venom drugs and ramp up local production, spotlighting the preventable deaths of around 2,000 Nigerians annually from snakebite complications.
The urgent plea comes in response to the tragic death of Abuja-based singer Ifunanya Nwangene, killed by a snakebite.
ACPN National President Ambrose Igwekammah Eze called the incident a stark reminder of Nigeria’s weak defenses against snakebite envenomation.
“We must end our dependence on donor-supplied anti-venom and establish sustainable local manufacturing,” he said.
This push aligns with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) goal to halve snakebite deaths by 2030, he also noted.
On behalf of ACPN’s leadership and members, Eze extended heartfelt condolences to Nwangene’s family.
“We mourn with the family and stand in solidarity with all Nigerians who have lost loved ones to preventable causes,” he said.
Eze described snakebite envenoming as a severely neglected public health emergency, noting that Nigeria records more than 20,000 cases annually.
He said about 1,700 victims are left with permanent disabilities each year, including amputations caused by tissue damage and delayed treatment.
He added that rural residents, farmers, herders, women and children are most affected, largely due to long distances to healthcare facilities and the high cost of treatment.
The association pointed to the “referral trap” and frequent stock-outs in lower-level facilities as evidence of gaps that continue to cost lives.
Eze said delays linked to funding, manpower shortages or medicine availability often determine whether patients survive or not.
He also raised concerns that despite anti-venoms being listed on the National Essential Medicines List and backed by national treatment guidelines, fatalities continue to rise, casting doubt on the real-world availability and accessibility of quality-assured products.
As part of its recommendations, the ACPN called for a one-off government investment of about $12 million to establish a local anti-venom production facility.
He further appealed for anti-venoms to be fully covered under the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to reduce the average treatment cost of about N40,000, which he said is unaffordable for many rural dwellers.
The ACPN also proposed decentralising snakebite treatment to primary healthcare centres in rural communities and involving traditional rulers and healers to improve early referrals.
“I am confident that in the near future, deaths and disabilities resulting from snakebites will become largely preventable and ultimately a thing of the past,” he said.
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