This archive report was first published on 8 October 2019.
Curb Snake Bite Deaths ¶
As of 2019, nearly 1,000 people die from snake bites every year in Kenya, a preventable cause of death due to the lack of anti-venom drugs in public health facilities.
Published on October 8, 2019, this issue has been a persistent public health sector headache, with many cases going unreported in remote areas.
It's a damning mockery of Kenya's public healthcare system that so many citizens die from preventable causes like snake bites, which could be easily addressed by importing and stocking the right anti-venom drugs.
However, health officials in Lamu and Taita-Taveta counties have raised concerns over the importation of ineffective drugs, which cannot be a justification for these deaths.
Interestingly, Kenya exports venom to South Africa for the manufacture of anti-venom drugs, yet these drugs are unavailable to Kenyans because they are yet to be registered locally.
The Health authorities can do better in addressing this serious health challenge.
