Gombe releases N5m for anti-snake venom drugs

The Governor of Gombe State, Inuwa Yahaya, has approved and released the sum of N5,000,000 for the procurement of anti-snake venom doses at the Kaltungo snakebite treatment and research centre.

According to the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Ahmed Gana, who stated this on Friday, the release of the funds is in response to the recent increase in the number of cases of snakebites in the Kaltungo areas.

He noted that the occurrence of cases of snakebites often peaked during the rainy season, particularly affecting farmers as they engaged in their farming activities.

He said, “In this vein, the governor calls the attention of the people living in the high risk areas to take all precautionary measures, and urgently report to the treatment centre in the event of snakebite incidence.”

He added that the Ministry of Health would continue to engage in proactive measures in controlling the endemic problem of snakebite in these high risk areas through health education, community engagement, provision of treatment commodities as well as safety wear where applicable.

Gana also assured that the Gombe State Government is doing everything possible to protect its people from all health emergencies in the State.

Snakebite and envenomation are major public health problems in Gombe State, especially in the hilly southern region of the state, where the Kaltungo Treatment and Research Centre is strategically sited, and has been operational for over 80 years.

The centre serves the people of Gombe State and also attends to hundreds of cases coming annually from Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Plateau, Taraba, Yobe, Nassarawa and Jigawa states for treatment.