The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning about a worsening shortage of antivenom treatments as snake bites continue to claim tens of thousands of lives each year.
The crisis is being exacerbated by climate-induced flooding in several countries with limited access to antivenoms.
An estimated 2.7 million people are bitten by venomous snakes annually, resulting in up to 138,000 deaths.
“One person dies from a snake bite every four to six minutes,” stated David Williams, a WHO snakebite expert, in a briefing in Geneva.
Beyond fatalities, around 240,000 individuals suffer permanent disabilities each year due to snake bites.
Snake venom can have devastating effects, including paralysis leading to respiratory failure, bleeding disorders causing fatal hemorrhages, irreversible kidney failure, and tissue damage resulting in permanent disability and limb loss.
Victims are predominantly from the world’s tropical and poorest regions, with children being particularly vulnerable due to their smaller body size.
Williams emphasized the socioeconomic impact of snake bites, noting that the disabilities they cause can drive victims and their families into poverty.
This is due to both the high cost of treatment and the loss of income when the primary breadwinner is affected.
He also stated that “Some regions of the world simply don’t have enough safe and effective treatments available to them.”
For instance, Sub-Saharan Africa has access to only about 2.5% of the treatments it requires.
The shortage of antivenom treatments stems from a decline in production by several companies since the 1980s, leading to severe shortages in Africa and parts of Asia.
India faces the most significant impact, with approximately 58,000 snake bite deaths annually.
Neighboring countries like Bangladesh and Pakistan are also severely affected.
Climate change is compounding the crisis by increasing the frequency and severity of flooding, which in turn leads to a rise in snakebite cases.
Williams pointed out that countries such as Nigeria are experiencing a critical shortage of snake antivenom due to an influx of additional cases of snakebite brought about by the flooding.
Similar patterns have been observed in Pakistan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, South Sudan, and other nations following major flooding events.
The WHO also warned that climate change could alter the distribution and population of venomous snakes, potentially exposing previously unaffected regions to the dangers of snake bites.
AFP
