The tragic passing of Nigerian singer Ifunanya Nwangene, following a snakebite, has thrown a spotlight on the alarming issue of preventable deaths in Nigeria. In her final message to friends, she pleaded: "Please come." This 26-year-old talent, known professionally as Nanyah and a former contestant on The Voice Nigeria, was bitten while sleeping in her Abuja apartment and found herself in a desperate race against time for medical treatment.
Despite efforts to obtain medical help swiftly, Nwangene succumbed to her injuries just hours after the bite, as a friend stood by in a pharmacy, attempting to secure the necessary antivenom. Her untimely death on January 31 has ignited a passionate debate regarding the accessibility of essential drugs required to combat fatal snakebites in hospitals throughout Nigeria.
Known for her vibrant performances, Nwangene had participated in The Voice Nigeria in 2021 and was eagerly anticipating her debut solo concert later this year. Friends remember her as a rising star, with her choir acknowledging that she was on the brink of showcasing her remarkable gifts to the world.
Globally, snakebites claim a life every five minutes—resulting in approximately 138,000 fatalities annually—and leave around 400,000 survivors with lasting disabilities. Alarmingly, many incidents and deaths go unreported, especially when victims opt for traditional healers instead of seeking hospital care.
Advocates for change argue that funding is critically inadequate to achieve the United Nations' goal, established in 2019, which aims to halve the number of deaths and disabilities caused by snakebites by the year 2030. Additionally, investments in research are deemed precarious, with snakebite envenoming classified as a neglected tropical disease.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the majority of fatalities resulting from snakebites are entirely avoidable if effective and safe antivenoms are readily available and administered promptly. These antivenoms are included in the WHO's list of essential medicines and should be standard components of any primary healthcare package in areas where snakebites are prevalent.
Nwangene described how she was awakened around 8:30 AM by a snakebite on her wrist, identifying the snake as a grey species. Subsequently, two snakes were discovered in her home, including a medium-sized cobra residing in her bedroom.
Among the 29 snake species in Nigeria, a staggering 41% possess venom. Reports indicate widespread shortages of antivenom across Africa, compounded by ongoing quality concerns regarding some available products.
At the first hospital Nwangene visited in Abuja, she was informed that no antivenom was available, as shared in social media posts by her brother. She was subsequently transferred to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), where she received treatment that included polyvalent snake antivenom; tragically, she passed away after what the hospital described as severe neurotoxic complications from the snakebite, along with a sudden deterioration in her condition.
Sam Ezugwu, director of the Amemuso choir, where Nwangene was a member, rushed to the hospital after she called for help through the choir's WhatsApp group. He recounted that doctors at the FMC urgently requested neostigmine—a medication often used alongside antivenoms for snakebites—along with additional doses of the medication already given, explaining that their supply had been depleted. However, while he was at a nearby pharmacy obtaining the medication, Nwangene sadly passed away.
"We returned to the hospital only to find Ifunanya’s lifeless body on the bed," he expressed in a statement on the choir’s Facebook page. "We cried, prayed, screamed, but she could no longer hear us."
A survey conducted among 904 healthcare workers across Brazil, Nigeria, India, and Indonesia by the Strike Out Snakebite global initiative revealed an alarming 99% reported facing challenges with antivenom administration. Issues included insufficient training on monitoring symptoms, poor infrastructure, inadequate equipment, and daily shortages of antivenom, noted by over a third of those surveyed.
Elhadj As Sy, chancellor of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and co-chair of the Global Snakebite Taskforce, emphasized the existence of numerous solutions but stressed the need for political will and strong commitments from partners and investors to address this preventable yet devastating neglected tropical disease.
"Snakebite must no longer be ignored or underfunded by the international community," he insisted. "It is time for decisive action—more than just sympathy or statements, we need actions that reflect the scale of this crisis."
In response to the situation, the FMC has contested claims regarding the lack of appropriate antivenom at its facility. They asserted in a statement: "Our medical staff provided immediate and appropriate treatment, including resuscitation efforts, intravenous fluids, intranasal oxygen, and the administration of polyvalent snake antivenom... We stand by the quality of care and dedication our team demonstrates daily. The claims regarding the unavailability of anti-snake venom and inadequate response are baseless and do not accurately depict the reality of the situation."
