Nigeria Records Up to 43,000 Snakebites Yearly as Experts Warn Against Harmful First Aid

Nigeria records an estimated 43,000 snakebite cases every year, with between 1,099 and 2,500 deaths, health experts have said. Farmers, herders, hunters and children are among those most at risk, especially during the rainy, farming and harvest seasons. Experts say carpet vipers account for about 66 per cent of snakebite deaths in the country. Gombe, Plateau, Bauchi, Benue and Taraba are among the states with a high burden of cases. Puff adders, black-necked spitting cobras and other venomous species also pose serious risks. Residents have been advised not to cut bite wounds, apply tight tourniquets, use animal dung or rely on unproven traditional remedies. Victims should get to a hospital quickly, where trained health workers can provide antivenom and monitor complications. The high cost of antivenom, poor access to health facilities, bad roads and limited blood-bank services continue to contribute to preventable deaths. Residents who encounter snakes should avoid trying to catch or kill them and contact trained handlers where possible.

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