Aliyu M. Hamagam
15 February 2008
Gombe — Following the increasing case of snake bites and the need for anti-venom, arrangements have been concluded by the Echitab Study Group in collaboration with the United Kingdom to set up anti-venom manufacturing plant in Kaltungo General Hospital in Gombe.
Similarly, Echitab Study Group has got the Federal Ministry of Health's nod to establish a training center in the same locality to train medical personnel from West Africa on how to manage snakebite patients.
The head of special projects in the Federal Ministry of Health, Professor Abdusalami Nasidi dropped this hint on the last clinical trial visit on anti-snake venom drug at the General Hospital in Kaltungo.
The decision to establish the two centers in addition to supplying 1,700 vials to Kaltungo General Hospital was in reciprocation of the state government's support to the study team.
Echitab Study Group team leader, Professor David Warrel of the Oxford University In the United Kingdom said the anti-snake venom trial started over 30 years ago and has resulted in the production of two excellent brands of anti-venoms, Echitab "G" which he said could cure almost all snakebites in the area and neighboring states.
He highlighted community education, training of health personnel and provision of tools as three strategies in fighting snakebites, stressing that the treatment of snakebites would be a huge success if theses elements were properly blended together.
In his response, Dr. Mohammed Isa Umar, the state Commissioner for Health acknowledged that locating the training center in Kaltungo would enhance the training all health workers in the state on snakebite management, thus leading to salvaging some lives that would have been lost.
While thanking the team on behalf of government, the Commissioner pledged the state's commitment to all obligations required by the team as well as a piece of land for the establishment of the center.
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This is a very good step towards treatment (of the snake bites) but I believe moving in the area of prevention might even work better. Cultivating plants that snakes shy away from (like I hear tubbacco does to them) and spreading the plants around the city should go a long way.