Senate Urges Federal, State Governments to Ensure Availability of Life-Saving Antidotes in Hospitals
Senate Urges Federal, State Governments to Ensure Availability of Life-Saving Antidotes in Hospitals
The Nigerian Senate has called on the Federal and State Governments to urgently ensure the adequate stocking, availability, and accessibility of life-saving antidotes and emergency medicines in public and private hospitals across the country.
The call followed a motion sponsored by Senator Idiat Oluranti Adebule (APC, Lagos West), highlighting growing concerns over preventable deaths arising from the absence of critical emergency drugs in health facilities.
Presenting the motion, Senator Adebule noted that Nigeria continues to record rising cases of medical emergencies such as snakebites, scorpion stings, poisoning, drug overdoses, and other forms of envenomation, all of which require immediate medical intervention.
She expressed concern over what she described as weak emergency preparedness in many hospitals, citing the recent death of Miss Ifunanya Nwangene in Abuja following a snakebite as a tragic example of systemic failure.
According to the senator, the incident exposed serious gaps in the availability of antivenoms and other essential antidotes in both public and private healthcare facilities.
Adebule also referenced the World Health Organization’s classification of snakebite envenoming as a neglected tropical disease, stressing the need for timely access to safe and effective antivenoms, especially in countries like Nigeria where such cases are common.
She further noted that the 1999 Constitution mandates government at all levels to provide adequate healthcare and safeguard the welfare of citizens, responsibilities that extend to regulating and supervising hospitals.
The lawmaker lamented that many hospitals lack basic life-saving antidotes or maintain insufficient quantities, often forcing patients to move from one facility to another during critical emergencies.
“This dangerous practice leads to unnecessary delays, avoidable complications, and loss of lives, especially during the ‘golden hour’ when timely treatment is most effective,” she said.
Senator Adebule attributed the situation to weak enforcement of regulations, poor supply chains, high cost of antidotes, and the absence of standard emergency response protocols.
She warned that unless urgent steps are taken, preventable deaths from poisoning and envenomation would continue to rise.
Adopting the motion, the Senate urged the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to develop and enforce national guidelines prescribing minimum stock levels of essential antidotes and emergency medicines in designated public and private hospitals.
Lawmakers also directed the ministry, in collaboration with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), to ensure the procurement, quality control, proper storage, and nationwide distribution of safe and affordable antivenoms, especially in high-risk areas.
The Senate further called on state governments to conduct immediate audits of hospitals within their jurisdictions to assess compliance with emergency preparedness standards.
It also mandated relevant professional bodies to strengthen emergency response protocols and ensure regular training for healthcare workers on the administration of antidotes.
In addition, lawmakers urged the Federal Capital Territory
Administration and state governments to establish coordinated emergency referral systems linking public and private hospitals to guarantee timely access to critical medicines.
The Senate resolved that stocking of essential antidotes should become a mandatory requirement for licensing and accreditation of private hospitals, while adequate budgetary provisions should be made for public health facilities.
To improve public awareness, the lawmakers directed the Federal Ministry of Information and the National Orientation Agency to embark on nationwide sensitization campaigns on the importance of prompt medical treatment after snakebites, poisoning, and similar emergencies.
The motion also called on the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to strengthen building regulations by making Non-Return Valves mandatory in drainage systems to prevent rodents and snakes from entering residential buildings.
Senator Adebule said the proposed measures, if fully implemented, would significantly reduce avoidable deaths, improve emergency response outcomes, and restore public confidence in Nigeria’s healthcare system.
