By Aishat Aliu

The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has urged the Federal Government to provide free antivenom drugs for Nigerians and prioritise local manufacturing as part of urgent measures to curb the estimated 2,000 preventable deaths from snakebite envenoming recorded annually in the country.

The association said Nigeria must move away from a donor-dependent antivenom supply chain to a sustainable local production model in order to save lives and align with the World Health Organisation (WHO) target of reducing snakebite-related deaths by 50 per cent by 2030.

In a statement issued following the death of Abuja-based singer, Ifunanya Nwangene, the ACPN described snakebite envenoming as one of the most neglected public health emergencies in Nigeria, despite its devastating human and economic toll.

National Chairman of the ACPN, Pharm. Ambrose Igwekammah Eze, who spoke on behalf of the association’s leadership and members, expressed condolences to the family of the late Ms. Nwangene, describing her death as tragic and deeply painful.

Eze said the association mourns with the family and all Nigerians who have lost loved ones to preventable causes, stressing that every Nigerian life must be treated as a national priority.

He disclosed that Nigeria records over 20,000 snakebite cases annually, with about 1,700 victims suffering permanent disabilities, including limb amputations, largely due to tissue necrosis and delayed access to appropriate care.

According to him, the burden of snakebite envenoming falls disproportionately on rural dwellers, subsistence farmers, herders, women and children, many of whom live far from functional health facilities and lack financial protection against catastrophic healthcare costs.

The ACPN noted that the death of Ms. Nwangene at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi, Abuja, has once again drawn attention to systemic gaps in access to timely and affordable antivenom treatment. While the hospital had clarified that antivenom was administered, the association maintained that frequent stock-outs at peripheral facilities and delays caused by referrals often prove fatal.

Eze said that in cases of snakebite envenoming, any delay, whether due to cost, availability of antivenom or shortage of trained personnel, could mean the difference between life and death.

He expressed concern that despite the inclusion of antivenoms in the National Essential Medicines List and the existence of national treatment guidelines, fatalities continue to rise, raising questions about the accessibility and availability of quality-assured antivenom drugs.

As part of its recommendations, the ACPN called for a one-off government investment of about $12 million to establish a local antivenom production plant, noting that Nigeria currently spends nearly the same amount annually on imported antivenom vials.

The association described local manufacturing as a fiscally responsible and life-saving option, capable of guaranteeing supply security and reducing long-term costs.

Eze also urged the Federal Government to approve the full inclusion of antivenom treatment under the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), to subsidise the average ₦40,000 treatment cost, which he said remains unaffordable for most rural Nigerians.

The ACPN further criticised what it described as administrative interference in the management of Drug Revolving Funds (DRFs) in public hospitals, warning that such practices have weakened the system and contributed to persistent stock-outs of emergency medicines.

He said DRFs must be protected and professionally managed to ensure uninterrupted availability of essential medicines and consumables, particularly in emergency situations.

The association referenced findings from the 2026 Global Strike Out Snakebite (SOS) report, which indicated that 98 per cent of Nigerian healthcare workers face extreme challenges in administering effective snakebite treatment.

As part of an eight-point roadmap to address the crisis, the ACPN called for decentralisation of snakebite treatment capacity to rural Primary Health Care Centres, as well as the engagement of traditional rulers and healers as partners in early referral systems.

Eze also stressed the need for sustained public enlightenment to discourage harmful traditional practices, such as the use of so-called “black stones,” which he said often delay hospital treatment and worsen outcomes.

He concluded by calling on the Federal Government to formally declare snakebite envenoming a National Health Priority and recognise it as a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD), insisting that with political will, strategic investment and coordinated action, preventable deaths and disabilities from snakebites can be significantly reduced.

According to him, Nigeria has the capacity to make snakebite-related deaths largely preventable in the near future if decisive action is taken.