In the wake of rising cases of snakebites across the country, the Senate has called on governments at all levels to urgently strengthen Nigeria’s emergency healthcare system by ensuring the mandatory availability of life-saving antivenom and other critical antidotes in hospitals nationwide—particularly in snake-prone and high-risk areas.
The upper legislative chamber specifically urged the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to develop and enforce comprehensive national guidelines mandating minimum stock levels of essential antidotes and emergency medicines in both public and private hospitals across the country.
It further resolved that health regulatory authorities must make the stocking of these essential life-saving drugs a compulsory condition for the licensing, registration, and renewal of accreditation of private healthcare facilities.
The resolutions followed the Senate’s consideration of a motion raised under a Point of Order on an urgent matter of national importance by Senator Idiat Adebule (APC, Lagos West).
The motion drew attention to the tragic death of a 26-year-old Abuja-based singer, Ifunanya Nwangene, popularly known as Nanya, who reportedly died last Saturday after being bitten by a snake.
According to the motion, the late singer rushed herself to two different hospitals in the Federal Capital Territory in search of urgent medical care but was allegedly denied treatment due to the unavailability of antivenom in both facilities.
Presenting the motion, Senator Adebule emphasized the urgent need for both federal and state governments to guarantee the adequate stocking, availability, and accessibility of emergency antidotes nationwide.
She noted that Nigeria continues to experience a growing number of medical emergencies, including snakebites, scorpion stings, poisonings, drug overdoses, and other forms of envenomation, while many hospitals remain ill-prepared to respond effectively.
Contributing to the debate, Senator Sunday Karimi (APC, Kogi West) stressed the need to prioritize states with high incidences of snakebites.
“In many parts of the country, snakebites are a regular occurrence, yet our hospitals are grossly unprepared. This resolution is about saving lives and enforcing accountability,” he said.
Similarly, Senator Anthony Ani (APC, Ebonyi South) called for strict enforcement of compliance, insisting that hospital licensing must be tied to the ability to provide basic emergency care.
“We must go beyond passing resolutions. Any hospital that cannot meet minimum emergency care standards should not be allowed to operate,” he declared.
Senator Titus Zam (APC, Benue North-West) highlighted the disproportionate impact of poor emergency healthcare on rural communities, noting that those in remote areas often suffer the most.
“The poor and people in rural communities bear the brunt of these failures. Ensuring access to antivenom is not just a health issue—it is a matter of social justice,” he said.
As part of its resolutions, the Senate also called on relevant health regulatory bodies to ensure adequate budgetary allocations and efficient supply chains for public hospitals to prevent shortages of essential emergency medicines.
In addition, it directed the Federal Ministry of Information and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to embark on nationwide public awareness campaigns highlighting the importance of seeking prompt medical attention after snakebites, poisonings, and other forms of envenomation, as well as the dangers of delayed treatment.
In his remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio expressed deep condolences to the family of the deceased and Nigerians at large, describing the incident as tragic and unacceptable.
“This is a loss that should never have happened,” Akpabio said. “As a nation, we must do better to protect the lives of our citizens.”
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