The Adamawa State Government has procured a significant quantity of rare antivenom for free distribution to hospitals, aiming to provide life-saving treatment to snake bite victims unable to afford the medicine.
State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Felix Tangwami, disclosed the initiative in Yola on Friday, reaffirming the government’s commitment to improving healthcare services across the state.
“This intervention demonstrates our resolve to strengthen the health sector and ensure that no life is lost due to lack of affordable treatment,” Tangwami said.
The move comes amid alarming statistics from the Federal Government, which recently reported over 20,000 snake bite cases and 2,000 related deaths annually across Nigeria.
Adamawa, along with neighboring Gombe State—Nigeria’s snake bite hotspot—records some of the highest incidences.
The urgency of the initiative was underscored by a tragic incident in June last year when a student from Modibbo Adama University, Yola, succumbed to a snake bite on campus, sparking public outrage.
The distribution of the free antivenom is expected to mitigate the crisis and bring relief to affected communities.
