One tragic loss has reignited a big question: why are life-saving antidotes missing when Nigerians need them most?
The Senate has urged the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to work with NAFDAC to ensure safe, effective and affordable antivenoms are available in hospitals nationwide.
The call followed the reported death of Miss Ifunanya Nwangene in Abuja after a snakebite—an incident lawmakers described as tragic and avoidable. Raising the issue on the floor, Sen. Idiat Adebule said Nigeria is seeing rising cases of snakebites, poisoning and other medical emergencies, yet many hospitals still lack essential antidotes during the critical “golden hour.”
Lawmakers want clear national guidelines on minimum stock levels, proper storage, and strict enforcement across both public and private hospitals. They also asked state governments to urgently audit hospitals to check compliance.
Citing the WHO, senators noted that snakebite envenoming is a neglected tropical disease, especially common in countries like Nigeria. They warned that patients are often forced to move from one hospital to another in search of antivenoms—costing precious time and lives.
Calling the death “needless,” senators stressed the need for proactive healthcare policies. Senate President Godswill Akpabio described Ifunanya as a promising Nigerian and led the chamber in a minute’s silence in her honour.
Bottom line: no Nigerian should die because an antidote wasn’t on the shelf.
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