Two die from snake bites in Wa due to shortage of anti-venoms

Two people have died from snake bites in the Upper West Regional capital Wa due to the shortage of anti-venoms in the region.

The In-charge of Yaala Health Centre Ezekiel Nagben says a total of 176 snake bites have been recorded in the various districts so far and the situation has been aggravated by the shortage of anti-venoms

The residents who are worried about the situation as they keep on losing their loved ones to the snake bites have therefore appealed to authorities to urgently respond to their appeal to save lives in the district.

Yussif Basuglo, a native of Yaala and a Circuit Supervisor for Kundugu Circuit of the Ghana Education Service (GES) in the district expressed the concern during the maiden worker's forum held in Funsi in the district.  

“The vile is not available and even when the little comes in it is sold at either GHC450.00 or GHC500.00 depending on the demand as against the quantity available”, he said.

Mr Basuglo who has lost a sister a couple of days to snake bite noted that a small boy also got bitten by a snake at the funeral grounds of his sister.

“Five other snakes were killed at the same funeral,” he said and expressed fear that a lot more people may just be losing their lives to these snake bites if nothing was done to address the situation.   

Mr Timothy N-beenaba, a native of Kunyebin and also a Circuit Supervisor for Funsi Circuit of the GES in the District said this year the poisonous snakes were in abundance because of the poor rainfall pattern in the area.   

He observed that a good rainfall pattern would often cause the destruction of the eggs laid by the snakes and even some would die to reduce the population.