Accord snake bite the attention it deserves- Medical expert

A medical expert and former Medical Director of Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital, now University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Dr. Nandul Durfa has called on the government at all levels to accord snake bite the attention it deserves in their health budgets.

Dr. Durfa while speaking with newsmen in his office, decried a situation in which our young people have died and still dying as a result of snake bite.

He said “on the Plateau, the effect of snake bite is an emergency situation in local governments like Shendam, Quan-pan, Lantang North and South, Kanke, Dengi and Yankari of Bauchi State. The people are being troubled by snake bites which has led to the loss of lives and amputations of limbs of so many people before the advent of Echi tab which is an anti-snake venom.

Dr. Nandul Durfa who is now the Managing Director of Echi-tab Study Nigeria Limited, an organization which provides anti-snake bite venom in Nigeria, explained that it was against this backdrop of rising snake bite in Nigeria Exhitab study was set up.

The medical expert however appealed to agencies that were concerned with handling heal matters and the general public to let fairness and justice to prevail.

Given the cost of treating snake bites, Dr. Durfa stated that it will be appropriate if the government can ameliorate this by buying the drugs in large quantity and distributing such to its various health centres.