The Senate has called on the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to develop and enforce national guidelines mandating minimum stock levels of essential antidotes and emergency medicines in designated public and private hospitals across Nigeria.
The resolution followed the consideration of a motion sponsored by Senator Adebule Idiat Oluranti (APC/Lagos West), which drew attention to the urgent need for the federal and state governments to guarantee adequate stocking, availability, and access to life-saving antidotes and emergency medicines nationwide.
While presenting the motion, Idiat, a former Lagos State Deputy Governor noted that Nigeria continues to witness an increase in medical emergencies, including snakebites, scorpion stings, poisoning, drug overdoses, and other forms of envenomation.
The Senate expressed grave concern over the reported death of Miss Ifunanya Nwangene, who passed on following a snakebite in Abuja.
Lawmakers described the incident as tragic and avoidable, stating that it exposed serious gaps in emergency preparedness and the availability of antidotes in both public and private hospitals across the country.
As part of its resolutions, the Senate called on health regulatory authorities to make the stocking of essential antidotes a mandatory requirement for the licensing, registration, and renewal of accreditation of private hospitals, while also ensuring adequate budgetary provisions and efficient supply mechanisms for public hospitals.
The Senate also directed the Federal Ministry of Information and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to embark on nationwide public sensitization campaigns on the importance of prompt hospital presentation after snakebites, poisoning, and other forms of envenomation, as well as the dangers associated with delayed medical treatment.
Nwangene, an Abuja-based singer popularly known as Nanyah, passed away after suffering a snake bite at her residence on Saturday.
She was said to have rushed herself to two different hospitals for urgent medical attention, but was reportedly left untreated due to the alleged unavailability of anti-venom at both facilities.
