Snakebite Tragedy: Senate Pushes Mandatory Stocking of Emergency Antidotes Nationwide

The Nigerian Senate has urged the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to formulate and strictly enforce national guidelines requiring designated public and private hospitals to maintain minimum stock levels of life-saving antidotes and emergency medicines across the country.

The call followed the Senate’s consideration of a motion sponsored by Senator Adebule Idiat Oluranti (APC, Lagos West), which highlighted the growing need for federal and state authorities to ensure the availability, accessibility, and proper distribution of essential antidotes nationwide.

While presenting the motion, Senator Oluranti noted that Nigeria is recording a steady rise in medical emergencies such as snakebites, scorpion stings, poisoning, drug overdoses, and other forms of envenomation, stressing that the health system must be adequately prepared to respond to such cases.

The Senate expressed deep concern over the reported death of Abuja-based singer Ifunanya Nwangene, popularly known as Nanyah, who reportedly died from complications arising from a snakebite. Lawmakers described the incident as tragic and largely preventable, saying it exposed serious deficiencies in emergency response and the availability of critical antidotes in hospitals.

According to the Senate, the circumstances surrounding the singer’s death underscored the urgent need for stronger regulation and enforcement to prevent similar incidents in the future. Legislators warned that gaps in emergency preparedness continue to place lives at risk, particularly in cases where immediate medical intervention is required.

As part of its resolutions, the Senate called on health regulatory bodies to make the stocking of essential antidotes a compulsory condition for the licensing, registration, and renewal of accreditation for private hospitals. It also urged the government to provide adequate budgetary allocations and strengthen supply chains to ensure public hospitals are properly equipped.

In addition, the Senate directed the Federal Ministry of Information and the National Orientation Agency to launch nationwide awareness campaigns on the importance of seeking prompt medical care after snakebites, poisoning, and similar emergencies, while cautioning against delays that could prove fatal.

Nwangene was said to have sustained a snakebite at her residence and reportedly sought urgent care at two separate hospitals, where she was allegedly unable to receive treatment due to the non-availability of anti-snake venom. Her death has since sparked renewed public debate on emergency healthcare readiness in Nigeria.