Carpet viper linked to majority of snakebite deaths as specialists urge prompt hospital treatment and improved access to antivenom
By Heapnews
Nigeria records an estimated 43,000 snakebite cases annually, resulting in between 1,099 and 2,500 deaths, experts said, urging residents to avoid handling snakes and seek immediate medical attention after a bite.
The experts spoke at a two-day national training workshop on snakebite handling, treatment and management held at the Lekki Conservation Centre in Lagos on Tuesday.
Medical expert Abubakar Ballah described snakebite as a neglected tropical disease, identifying the carpet viper as responsible for about 66% of snakebite deaths in Nigeria.
The World Health Organisation estimates that snakebites cause 5.4 million injuries globally each year, resulting in between 81,000 and 138,000 deaths and about 400,000 cases of permanent disability, Ballah said.
He identified Gombe, Plateau, Bauchi, Benue and Taraba as major snakebite-endemic states, particularly in the Niger-Benue trough and Sudan Savanna.
Farmers, herders, children and hunters are among the most vulnerable, with cases often increasing during farming, rainy and harvest seasons, he said.
Ballah identified the carpet viper, puff adder and black-necked spitting cobra as three medically important snakes in Nigeria. Their venom can cause severe bleeding, tissue damage, kidney injury, neurological complications and respiratory paralysis.
He warned that delayed hospital treatment and inappropriate first aid could increase the risk of death.
Practices such as applying tight tourniquets, cutting bite wounds, using animal dung and relying on traditional remedies could worsen patients’ conditions, he said.
Citing clinical cases, Ballah said some patients had died after treatment was delayed or harmful first aid was administered, while others recovered following early hospital presentation and appropriate care.
The high cost of antivenom, limited access to healthcare, poor roads and inadequate blood bank services were among the factors contributing to snakebite deaths, he said.
Antivenom costs between 170,000 naira ($117) and 250,000 naira per vial, Ballah said. (Dollar equivalents depend on the prevailing exchange rate.)
He stressed that antivenom should be administered by trained healthcare personnel when clinically indicated, with patients monitored for allergic reactions and other complications.
He called for reliable supplies of quality antivenom, proper storage, stronger referral systems and community education to reduce deaths.
In a separate presentation titled “Dangerous Snakes of Lagos State, Nigeria,” wildlife conservation expert Mark Ofua urged residents not to attempt to catch, kill or handle snakes.
He said encounters could occur in mangroves, swamps, farms, gardens, building sites, drains, residential compounds and stores.
Residents should exercise caution in such environments and leave snake handling to trained personnel equipped with appropriate tools, Ofua said.
He identified the puff adder, black-necked spitting cobra, forest cobra, green mamba and Gaboon viper among the species requiring particular attention in Lagos.
Ofua also discussed the boomslang and carpet viper, noting that the presence of some species, particularly the carpet viper, required confirmation through local records.
He cautioned against identifying potentially dangerous snakes solely by their head shape, pupils, colour or size, noting that some venomous species could be difficult to recognise.
Protective equipment, he added, did not eliminate the risk of snakebites.
For suspected snakebite victims, Ofua advised remaining calm and still, immobilising the affected limb, removing tight items such as jewellery and seeking immediate medical attention.
He warned against cutting or sucking bite wounds, applying tourniquets, using traditional remedies or chasing and killing the snake.
If venom enters the eyes, he recommended immediate and prolonged irrigation with clean water.
Both experts emphasised public awareness, prompt hospital treatment and safer interactions with wildlife as essential to reducing snakebite injuries and deaths.
Earlier, Nigerian Conservation Foundation Director-General Joseph Onoja said snakes played an important role in maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem balance.
Snakes help control rodent populations, he said, warning that unchecked increases in rodents could heighten the risk of infections such as Lassa fever.
“It becomes important that we learn to live as one in harmony with nature and more specifically snakes,” Onoja said.
The workshop, scheduled for October 27 and 28, aims to improve snakebite prevention, treatment and management.