Mash West hit by anti-venom shortage

SNAKE bites have become a cause for concern in Mashonaland West province where anti-venom is not readily available in most medical facilities.

Three people have died since the beginning of the year in about 347 snake bites recorded in the province.

The deaths were recorded after the victims failed to receive treatment.

Anti-venom is an expensive universal polyvalent drug used to treat symptoms caused by a variety of poisonous species.

According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care report issued last year, Mashonaland West recorded nearly a thousand of snake bites.

The most affected districts were Hurungwe, Makonde and Zvimba.

“Two people died from Makonde district while the other death was recorded in Sanyati,” said the ministry. “This year the province had so far experienced 347 snake bites.

“Hurungwe recorded the highest number with 89 cases followed by Makonde (81) then Zvimba district recording 68 cases.”

In an interview, Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital medical superintendent Dr Collete Mawire said the hospital had a limited approach in prioritising the purchase of anti-venom since the province has few poisonous snake species.

“We currently do not have anti-venom and we rarely purchase it because our understanding is that the province has few of these deadly poisonous snakes,” he said.

“The nature of the drug is such that it does not last for long. Sometimes you end up disposing it before its use because it will have reached its expiry date.”

The drug is expensive and it costs up to $750 dollars an ampule.

Dr Mawire said the availability of the drug at the provincial hospital could not sustain the whole province because venomous snake bites required emergency attention before losing a life in a short space of time.

“Venomous snakes are dangerous and we can’t expect someone bitten by the snake all the way from Karoi to come here,” he said. “Obviously, the person will die on the way.

“People should take victims of snake bites to the nearest health facilities as quickly as possible because not all the snake bites require anti-venom.”

Mashonaland West Provincial medical director Dr Wencilus Nyamayaro urged people to exercise great caution during the rainy season to avoid perennial snake incidences.