A non-governmental organisation, the Jerry John Yenabi Foundation, has said its free anti-snake venom intervention has helped save the lives of 99 people in the Krachi Nchurmuru District of the Oti Region.
The foundation said the intervention was introduced in response to the persistent threat of snakebite-related deaths in the predominantly farming district, where residents frequently encountered snakes while working on farms or travelling along bush paths.
The Chief Executive Officer of the foundation, Jerry John Yenabi, said this during a community durbar to educate residents on the need to seek early treatment.
He said limited access to anti-snake venom had previously contributed to delays in treatment, resulting in avoidable deaths and complications in snakebite victims.
However, since the foundation rolled out the initiative by supplying anti-snake venom to selected health facilities across the district, victims had been receiving prompt treatment free of charge, thereby saving lives.
Mr Yenabi stressed that no person should lose their life to snakebite when effective treatment was available and urged residents to report suspected snakebite cases promptly to the nearest health facility.
He gave the assurance that the foundation would continue to support access to anti-snake venom and also step up public education to promote early reporting and appropriate treatment of snakebite cases.
Seek early treatment
A nurse at the St Luke Catholic Hospital at Chinderi, John Kumado Jr., also advised residents to seek early treatment instead of relying on unverified traditional remedies when they suffered snakebites.
He explained that timely access to appropriate medical care could significantly improve treatment outcomes and reduce the risk of fatalities.
He further described the intervention and support from the foundation as an important response to a longstanding public health challenge in most farming communities. — GNA
