Health ministry develops strategy on snakebites

A national snakebite prevention and management strategy has been developed to address snakebite envenoming in Uganda.

Snakebite envenoming is a potentially life-threatening disease caused by toxins in the bite of a venomous snake which, when left untreated, can result in permanent disability or death.

The aim of the strategy is to halve the number of deaths, mobility and cases of disability caused by snakebite envenoming.

Dr Alfred Mubangizi, the assistant commissioner in charge of the Vector Control Division, while presenting the strategy during a multi stakeholder forum at the Golf Course Hotel, Kampala, said the strategy will address the challenge of snakebites in the country.

The strategy has four main objectives — empowering and engaging communities, ensuring safe and effective snakebite treatment, strengthening health systems and increasing partnerships, co-ordination and resources.

A study by the Health Action International and Coalition for Health Promotion and Social Development (HEPS) in April 2018, found that snakebite and snakebite envenoming was a serious public health problem in 144 health facilities.

A total of 12,479 registered cases of snakebites were recorded in one year although experts thought the study’s findings were an underestimate.

Arua, Gulu, Yumbe, Kampala and Mubende are the most affected with snakebites.

According to experts the risk of snakebite is high, especially among poor people living in rural areas and working in gardens or looking after livestock.

Another recent study conducted by the Makerere University School of Public Health showed that out of 1,080 households enrolled, 341 had had a case of snakebite.

Among the 6,600 members in the 1,080 households, 441 had ever been bitten by a snake.

According to experts, lack of anti-venom production in Uganda leads to absence of safe, affordable and effective anti-venom for snakebite management at the health facility level. Availability of anti-venom in Uganda is highly ineffective for Ugandans.

Besides, a vial costs sh800,000 making it expensive to afford proper treatment, which usually requires at least a minimum of six vials, costing sh4.8m.

Denis Kibira, the executive director of Coalition for Health Promotion and Social Development (HEPS), said snakebites had been neglected.

“When you have a strategy in place, it also acts as a tool for resource mobilisation in various areas that need to be addressed,’’ Kibira said.

In 2017, the World Health Organisation recognised snakebite as a neglected tropical disease.                                                   

In sub-Saharan Africa, over one million people are bitten by snakes each year.

The vast majority of these bites occur in rural areas, where access to health care services is also limited.

It is estimated that the available anti-venom in the region is only 2.5% of what is needed.

The number of doses of anti-venom available in the region has dropped dramatically since the 1980s from about 200,000 to less than 20,000.

Kibira noted that use of traditional herbs in communities is affecting the management of snakebites.