The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has called on the Federal Government to provide free antivenom drugs and prioritise local manufacturing as part of urgent measures to curb the estimated 2,000 snakebite-related deaths recorded annually in the country.
The association made the call in a statement issued following the death of Abuja-based singer Ifunanya Nwangene, describing the incident as another reminder of Nigeria’s fragile response to snakebite envenoming, which remains one of the country’s most neglected public health emergencies.
Speaking on behalf of the ACPN leadership and members, the National Chairman, Pharm. Ambrose Igwekammah Eze, expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and Nigerians who have lost loved ones to preventable causes.
He stressed that every death resulting from delayed or unaffordable treatment represents a failure of the health system.
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Eze noted that Nigeria records over 20,000 snakebite cases annually, with about 1,700 victims suffering permanent disabilities, including limb amputations due to tissue damage and delayed access to antivenom.
He said the burden falls disproportionately on rural dwellers, subsistence farmers, herders, women, and children who often live far from functional health facilities and lack financial protection.
According to the ACPN, the circumstances surrounding Ms. Nwangene’s death, despite confirmation that antivenom was administered at the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, highlight systemic gaps such as delayed referrals, stock-outs, and limited access to trained personnel.
Eze warned that even brief delays in administering antivenom can mean the difference between life and death.
He further expressed concern that, despite the inclusion of antivenoms on Nigeria’s National Essential Medicines List and the existence of national treatment guidelines, fatalities continue to rise due to poor availability and affordability of quality-assured products.
To address the challenge, the ACPN urged the Federal Government to invest approximately $12 million in establishing a local antivenom production facility, noting that the country currently spends a similar amount annually on imported supplies.
The association also called for the full integration of antivenom treatment into the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) scheme to reduce the average treatment cost of about ₦40,000, which remains unaffordable for many rural residents.
The ACPN also criticised what it described as administrative interference in Drug Revolving Funds in public hospitals, warning that weak management contributes to frequent stock-outs of life-saving medicines.
The association referenced findings from the 2026 Global Strike Out Snakebite (SOS) report, which indicated that most Nigerian healthcare workers face serious challenges in providing effective snakebite treatment.
As part of its recommendations, the ACPN advocated decentralising snakebite treatment to rural Primary Health Care Centres, strengthening referral systems, and engaging traditional rulers and healers to promote early hospital presentation.
The association also called for sustained public education to discourage harmful traditional practices that delay proper treatment.
Pharm. Eze concluded by urging the Federal Government to formally recognise snakebite envenoming as a National Health Priority and a Neglected Tropical Disease, expressing confidence that with political will, strategic investment, and coordinated action, preventable snakebite deaths and disabilities can be significantly reduced.
Reporting By Niran Odufayo