Community pharmacists are calling on the Federal Government to make antivenom freely available across the country, warning that thousands of snakebite deaths each year remain preventable if access, supply, and production gaps are urgently addressed.

The call was made by the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria following the death of Abuja-based singer Ifunanya Nwangene, which has renewed public attention on the country’s fragile response to snakebite emergencies. According to a statement issued by the association’s national leadership and reported by the News Agency of Nigeria, the incident highlights long-standing failures in timely access to lifesaving treatment.

The association described snakebite envenoming as one of Nigeria’s most neglected public health emergencies, despite its heavy toll on rural communities. Farmers, herders, women, and children are said to bear the greatest burden, often facing long distances to health facilities, limited availability of antivenom, and delays caused by cost and referral bottlenecks.

Speaking on behalf of the association, its national chairman, Ambrose Eze, expressed condolences to the family of the late singer and to other families affected by similar losses. He said the tragedy underscored the need for snakebite envenoming to be formally recognised as a national health priority and treated as a neglected tropical disease requiring coordinated government action.

According to the association, delays in accessing antivenom remain a major driver of fatalities, even in tertiary hospitals. Stock shortages, limited trained personnel, and what pharmacists describe as a referral trap continue to weaken the emergency response system. Eze warned that any delay caused by cost or lack of preparedness can quickly turn a survivable injury into a fatal one.

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Beyond access, the association raised concerns about Nigeria’s reliance on imported antivenoms, arguing that the country spends heavily each year on products that could be manufactured locally. It called for federal investment in domestic antivenom production, noting that local manufacturing would improve availability, reduce costs, and strengthen supply chains in public hospitals.

The pharmacists also urged the government to include antivenom treatment under national health insurance coverage, stressing that out-of-pocket costs remain a significant barrier for many victims. They further criticised administrative interference in hospital drug revolving funds, warning that such disruptions contribute to persistent shortages of essential medicines in public facilities.

Eze cited findings from a recent global report on snakebite response, which highlighted severe challenges faced by healthcare workers in Nigeria when administering treatment. He said these systemic weaknesses mirror the daily realities in emergency wards, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

The association called for stronger primary healthcare centres to support early intervention, closer collaboration with traditional leaders to improve timely referrals, and public education to discourage harmful practices that delay proper treatment. Eze cautioned against the continued use of unproven traditional remedies, describing them as dangerous and often fatal detours.

He maintained that with political will, strategic investment, and coordinated action, snakebite-related deaths and long-term disabilities could be significantly reduced. According to him, the tools to prevent these losses already exist, but action remains overdue.

Meiza Nigeria