By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
Nigerians have reacted to the Senate’s mandate for compulsory stocking of anti-venom and other essential live-saving antidotes in hospitals.
According to comments across social media platforms, Nigerians noted that the directive was coming after many citizens have lost their lives to snake bites and other avoidable deaths.
They also expressed pessimism about the sustainability of the mandate.
The Senate’s resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Senator Idiat Oluranti Adebule (APC, Lagos West), entitled ‘Urgent Need for the Federal and State Governments to ensure adequate stocking, availability, and access to life-saving antidotes and emergency medicines in public and private hospitals across Nigeria.’
The motion comes amid public outrage following the death of popular Abuja-based singer, Ifunanya Nwagene, who reportedly died after suffering a snakebite and being unable to access antivenom treatment promptly.
During plenary of Tuesday, February 3, the Red Chamber urged state governments and the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to establish coordinated emergency referral and response systems linking public and private hospitals, following growing concerns over avoidable deaths arising from poorly handled medical emergencies.
Lawmakers said the proposed system would ensure rapid access to life-saving medicines, particularly during emergencies such as snakebites, scorpion stings, poisoning, and drug overdoses, where delays often lead to fatality.
While raising the motion, Adebule said Nigeria continues to record a disturbing rise in emergency cases requiring immediate medical intervention, lamenting that systemic gaps in hospital preparedness were costing lives.
Following the debate, the Senate called on the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, working with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), to ensure the procurement, quality assurance, proper storage, and nationwide availability of safe, effective and affordable antivenoms and other critical antidotes, with priority given to high-risk regions.
The Red Chamber also urged state governments, through their ministries of health and hospital management boards, to immediately audit public and private hospitals to assess compliance with antidote-stocking and emergency preparedness standards.
Reacting to the Senate’s resolution, some Nigerians on Facebook, including Chioma Ochonma said, “Do you have stable electricity to preserve it?”
Terkimbi Joseph added, “Inside which fridge? They should first install solar powered refrigerators in all hospitals.”
Israel Dzever Ikyum wrote, “Stocking wouldn’t be a problem, it is the viability of those vaccines over time that should bother anyone who has knowledge about the strict condition of their storage. And the biggest lag, snakes don’t bite people every day so that they’ll be used easily.”
Speaking on the political will to enforce the resolution, Daniel Umama said, “After this week the story go finish. Another one go start.”
Donatus Chukwudi added, “Fire brigade approach. What happens after 1 year?
David Stephen wrote, “Na when e don go wrong before them go act,” while Akinyimika Josephine Akinyosoye added, “Too late to cry when the head is off.”
In a tweet on X, @ElishaYuana1 wrote, “Nigerian government only makes moves for damage control rather than putting the right infrastructure in place. This is poor leadership and lack of patriotism and concern for the country’s health sector. A reasonable country will put necessary things in place before it happens.”
