Nigeria on Saturday received 4,000 vials of Anti-Snake Venom (ASV), ending months of acute shortage of the drug and bringing relief to victims of snake bites across the country.
The paucity of the drug, which hit the country at the peak of snake-bites – usually between January and April when the scorching heat forces snakes out of their holes to cool their bodies – had resulted in several deaths.
According to Dr Nandul Durfa, Managing Director, Echitab Study Group, the outfit handling the distribution of ASV in Nigeria, many snake-bite treatment centres recorded many deaths during that period as the medics were helpless.
“The period of acute shortage was agonising, but we are happy that it is now over. The ASV is now available. We have received a total of 4,000 vials of the drug.
“We have received 2,000 polyvalent ASV produced at the Instituto Clodomiro Picado (ICP), University of Costa Rica, which treats bites from all venomous snakes in Nigeria.
“We have…
Source: News Agency of Nigeria
