Snake Bites: FCTA to sanction hospitals over protocol negligence, confirms antivenom surplus

 The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has assured residents that antivenom supplies remain fully stocked and accessible across all FCTA-owned hospitals and public health centres, while warning that healthcare facilities found negligent in managing snakebite cases will face sanctions.

The reassurance followed public outcry over the death of singer and social media influencer, Ifunanya Lucy Nwangene, who died from a snakebite at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi, Abuja. Her passing sparked allegations of medical negligence and claims of a shortage of life-saving treatment in the territory’s healthcare system.

In a statement, the Mandate Secretary of the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, said the territory maintains a strong inventory of both polyvalent and multivalent antivenoms, all kept under strict quality control measures. She stressed that “all snakebites must be treated as venomous until proven otherwise.”

According to her, recommended first-aid steps include staying calm, immobilising the affected limb, and seeking immediate hospital care, while avoiding harmful traditional practices such as cutting the wound or applying tourniquets.

Dr. Fasawe noted that the FCTA has strengthened emergency response systems through the deployment of 12 new ambulances and improvements in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) capacity across facilities.

She issued a firm warning to healthcare providers, stating: “I want to reiterate that all healthcare facilities, public and private, must adhere strictly to approved clinical protocols. Monitoring and enforcement will be intensified, and facilities found negligent will face sanctions.”

Emphasising the importance of early treatment, she said: “While antivenom is most effective when administered early, its use does not guarantee recovery, particularly where neurotoxic symptoms have already manifested, underscoring the need for rapid evacuation.”

Dr. Fasawe added that “different forms and types of anti-snake venom are widely available across FCTA-owned hospitals and public health facilities,” explaining that stocking decisions are guided by collaboration with veterinary doctors who identify the most common snake species in the FCT. She noted that the antivenoms are centrally stored at the Abuja Central Medical Stores, where the Secretariat manages quality control and cold-chain integrity.

Amid the controversy surrounding Nwangene’s treatment, FMC Jabi dismissed allegations of antivenom scarcity, stating that the patient was brought in long after the snakebite and had already developed advanced neurotoxic symptoms, including respiratory distress. The facility maintained that such delayed presentation significantly reduces survival chances, regardless of antivenom availability.

Expressing condolences, Dr. Fasawe described the incident as tragic, saying: “The loss of a promising young life is deeply painful and distressing. Such medically preventable deaths must be taken seriously, with strengthened measures to prevent recurrence.” She classified snakebites as a preventable public health emergency and urged residents to use emergency ambulance lines 090157892931 and 090157892932 for swift transport to qualified facilities, noting that urban expansion has increased encounters with venomous snakes such as cobras, vipers and puff adders.