N-R records 1,674 snake bites from Jan-July

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The latest figures released by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has revealed that over 1,674 snake bites have been recorded from January to July  this year in the Northern Region.

The East and West Mamprusi districts are the worst affected areas where significant numbers of cases were recorded.

The Northern Region also recorded a little over 2,550 snake bites in 2012, whereas over 3,300 cases were recorded in 2011. This came to light at a stakeholder’s forum in Tamale.

Briefing the stakeholders, the Northern Regional Director of Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Kwesi Twumasi attributed the alarming rates of the figures to lack of protective clothing as people failed to use protective clothing.  

The alarming rate of figures of snake bites in the northern region has become a source of worry to stakeholders in the sector, even though the ministry of Health’s policy on the snake bite serum indicates that the serum be administered free of charge.

Snake venom poisoning is a common emergency especially in certain rural farming communities in the northern part of the country during the raining season.

It said in Ghana the reported admission cases and deaths suggest that the problem is underreported and that the epidemiological features vary from continent to continent and region to region.  

There are about 3,000 species of snakes in the world to date, of which 300 species are poisonous to man.

About 25 species of Africa origin are believed to cause death in humans with similar number causing swellings and local pain.