Kenya to produce anti snake venom for sustainable supply

The Ministry of Health is considering local production of anti-snake venom in the country to ensure a sustainable supply.

The ministry is also developing the necessary policies, guidelines and processes to identify cheaper high-quality brands for licensure.

Health CS in a statement on Tuesday said as a ministry they have witnessed a significant upsurge in reports about the burden of snakebites in Kenya.

This follows active campaigns kicked off by the Ministry of Health in line with international health resolutions on Neglected Tropical Diseases.

"We wish to assure the public that, the National Vaccines and Immunization Program at the Ministry of Health maintains an emergency stock of between 2,000-5,000 vials of these products for such emergency use as at any given time, these stocks are currently available," she said.

Currently, the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority is the one tasked with procuring and distributing antisnake venom for and to public health facilities.

"The ministry has two approved brands of snake antivenom both produced using venom harvested from African snakes," Kariuki said.

The ministry in collaboration with county governments provides free Immunisation services to approximately three million Kenyans every year.

Read: Why are so many people still dying from snake bites?

The vaccines provided by the Ministry belong to two broad categories: Routine Infant and Child Vaccines and Non-routine Vaccines offered to special risk groups or on demand, including anti snake venom and anti-rabies vaccines.

Snake bites are a silent public health problem in Kenya.

Previous studies on snake bites in the country have mainly focused on identifying offending snake species, assessing the severity of envenomation and testing the efficacy of antivenom.

The abundance of snakes in arid and semi-arid areas or during the rainy season, coupled with a chronically underfunded health system, means the snakebite mortality rate across the country is fairly high.

The snake bite menace is also prevalent in dry and arid areas like Baringo, Kitui, Kilifi, Wajir, Garissa, Machakos, Marsabit, Isiolo, Makindu, Mwingi, and Taveta as the snakes slither into homestead to seek water and shelter.