Cameroon: 32 deaths from snake bites

The Cameroon Society of Epidemiology is currently undertaking a one-year national survey of the incidence of snake bites in the country. The study, which began last December 2014, ends in December 2015. After 41 weeks of activity, the figures are alarming – 32 deaths and 1,869 people bitten by snakes in the country. According to the President of the Cameroon Society of Epidemiology, Dr Armand Nkwescheu, the three northern regions of Far North, North and Adamawa, account for 739 of the 1,869 cases or 40 per cent. Correspondingly, 23 of the 32 deaths were also in the three northern regions, giving a total of 72 per cent. Only the South West and North West Regions are yet to record any deaths since the survey began.

Statistics show that Cameroon has about 150 snake species, out of which 32 are venomous. Dr Nkwescheu explained that the toll of morbidity caused by amputations and other consequences of snake bites are high. He added that snake bites kill more people each year than either poliomyelitis or measles. Women, children and farmers in poor rural communities suffer more from snake bites. However, facilities to manage snake bites are not adequate in many health centres in Cameroon. Health staffs are not often abreast with new developments and quite often, anti-venom serum for treating patients is expensive and most of the times completely absent.

The Cameroon Society of Epidemiology has announced the organization of an international workshop on managing snake bites from November 4-6, 2015 in Yaounde. The workshop is intended to empower at least 100 health professionals for optimal care of snake bite victims in Cameroon. The training will be sponsored by the Ministry of Public Health in collaboration with the African Society of Venimology.