A new global report has revealed a critical healthcare gap in Nigeria, with at least 50 percent of health facilities lacking the capacity to treat snakebite envenoming, a leading cause of preventable death and disability in the country.
Released by the Strike Out Snakebite initiative to mark World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day, the report highlights weak health systems, poor infrastructure, and severe shortages of life-saving antivenom as the primary drivers of the crisis in high-burden nations like Nigeria.
The findings are based on a survey of 904 frontline healthcare workers across five of the world’s most affected countries: Nigeria, Brazil, India, Indonesia, and Kenya. In Nigeria, the situation was described as particularly dire, with **98 percent** of surveyed health workers reporting difficulties in administering antivenom, the only WHO-recommended essential treatment.
Overall, half of all respondents stated their facilities lacked full capacity to manage snakebite cases, while 99 percent cited challenges with antivenom administration.
“Nigeria is home to 29 species of snakes, nearly 41 per cent of which are venomous, yet many victims still struggle to access timely medical care,” the report noted.
Healthcare workers identified urgent priorities to address the crisis, including improving patient access to care, enhancing antivenom quality and availability, strengthening regulation, expanding professional training, and scaling up community education to reduce high-risk behaviours.
