A medical practitioner, Dr Sylvester Gaknung in Plateau, on Wednesday commended the Federal Government for the production and provision of snake anti-venom drugs that eased the treatment of victims in the state.
Gaknung, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Miko Memorial Clinic, Amper in Kanke Local Government Area, Plateau, gave the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Amper.
“The Snake anti-venom drugs, being manufactured by the Nigerian Government in conjunction with the British Government, is very effective, efficient and costs less.
“This is a commendable effort by the Federal Government at addressing the treatment of cases of snake bites not only in the Plateau but in the country in general.
“We understand that the anti-venom drugs are specially produced for us here on the Plateau after some medical researchers came around and surveyed or studied the types of snakes that are peculiar to us here, ’’ he said.
Gaknung said with the availability of the drugs, treatment of victims had become very easy and very effective at saving lives of teeming farmers “who are mostly the unfortunate victims of snake bites’’.
The medical doctor disclosed that cases of snake bites were probably on the decrease, saying “my clinic only recorded 24 cases between January to date, against last year’s 53 cases and 62 in 2015.
“As we speak, we have only two patients in the clinic, which is a cheering news, compared to the average daily cases of between two and five in the last two years, ’’ he added.
According to him, a bottle/ampoule of the new drug goes for N25,000 with a patient needing either one of more Ampoules, depending on the venom/poison.
Gaknung appealed to the Federal Government to ensure mass production of the drugs and give them out free to victims, mostly poor peasant farmers.
He said the appeal was imperative because of the cost of surgery for serious cases of snake bites which was between N75,000 and N90,000.
Dr Nandul Durfa, former CMD of University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, had once told NAN in 2006 that former President Olusegun Obasanjo approved N2 billion for the establishment of the anti venom factory.
Durfa had warned of imminent danger then when he decried the increased cases of snake bites which ranged between 60 to 90 victims in a month on the Plateau.
“Unless the Federal Government reviews or upgrades the cost earlier approved to facilitate the establishment of the factory or increase the importation from alternative sources from Wales in United Kingdom and Costa-Rica in Central America, the number is likely to increase,’’ he had said.
According to him, “everything considered, local production is the only solution to our snake bite challenge; we have to start before it is too late as the number of people being bitten on daily basis is on the rise.
“This is because four hospitals: Comprehensive Health Centre Zamko, Langtang North; Wuyep Specialist Hospital, Mabodi, Langtang South; Miko Memorial Clinic, Amper Kanke, and General Hospital, Shendam, record a daily average of two and five victims.
“There is the need for the federal, state and local governments to provide funds for free treatment of victims, considering the high cost of treatment of the venom.” Durfa said.
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