County governments urged to stock anti-venoms in level four hospitals

Catherine Shiechi, Shinyalu Sub-County health officer. Photo/LM

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By Leonard Murunga

County governments have a role to play in ensuring victims of snake bites are attended to, Access to Medicines Platform Director, Dorothy Okemo says.

Speaking during the International Snake bite Awareness Day (ISBAD) marked at Chirobani Primary School in Shinyalu, Kakamega County this week, Okemo said devolved units should stock anti-venom drugs in level four hospitals, especially in areas where snakes are a common phenomenon.

"We urge the county governments to allocate money for stocking on anti-venom drugs in hospitals so as to manage snakebites,” she said.

“Most of the Counties are no longer putting in the budget to buy anti-venoms,” she added. 

School going children, Okemo said, can be great ambassadors of creating awareness on how to avoid snake bites in communities.

"Children understand faster. The coverage that you will have when talking to school children is so wide, because they will spread messages to remote parts of the community, reaching to many. This will in turn create a behavioural change from cultural beliefs to making sure that victims of snakebites are taken to hospital.”

Catherine Shiechi, Shinyalu Sub-County health officer however said stocking of anti-venom drugs in level four hospitals is a challenge, because of the cost implications.

She advised residents to immediately seek medical attention, upon being bitten by a snake. Shinyalu borders Kakamega forest, putting residents at a higher risk of snake attacks.

"We have directed health facilities surrounding the forest to order anti-venoms from the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority(KEMSA) during their orders so that anyone bitten by a snake is promptly attended to,” she added.

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Access to Medicines Platform Director, Dorothy Okemo. Photo/LM

Raydon Imbwaka, a Community Health Promoter (CHP) called on residents to take precautions, by cutting grass surrounding residential areas to prevent snake attacks.

On her part, Chirobani Primary School Headteacher Florence Ludeki heaped praise on the organisers, adding that the awareness opened their eyes in as far as preventing snake bites is concerned.

International Snakebite Awareness Day is marked every September 19.

According to the Institute of Primate Research (IPR) Kenya, about 20,000 people are bitten by snakes annually in Kenya.

Among these cases, an estimated 4,000 result in fatalities, while 7,000 individuals experience paralysis or suffer from various health complications as a consequence of snake bites.