Medical experts have warned that tying the affected limb after a snakebite — a practice still common across Nigeria — can significantly reduce a victim’s chances of survival and worsen tissue damage.
The Medical Director of the Snakebite Treatment and Research Hospital, Kaltungo, Gombe State, Dr Nicholas Amani-Hamman, described the method as outdated and dangerous, stressing that it concentrates venom at the bite site and can block blood circulation.
Speaking with Punch while reacting to the death of fast-rising singer Ifunanya Nwangene, who reportedly died after a snakebite in Abuja, Amani-Hamman said prompt and correct first aid could make the difference between life and death.
“First aid is very important, and the person should not use the affected limb. You don’t tie it. That idea is old and harmful. When you tie the place, you localise the venom there, increase its destructive effect and also block the blood supply, which can cause further complications,” he said.
He also warned against cutting the wound with razor blades or sharp objects in a bid to extract venom, noting that such actions only worsen injuries and expose victims to infections.
Amani-Hamman advised victims to remain calm and avoid activities that raise heart rate, explaining that increased blood flow helps venom spread faster.
“Patients should not cross rivers or exert themselves. When your heart rate increases, venom spreads more rapidly. The person should be carried and rushed to a hospital, preferably where anti-snake venom is available,” he added.
He dismissed fears surrounding intravenous drips, saying fluids do not worsen snakebite conditions and are often necessary during treatment.
The specialist revealed that the Kaltungo hospital treats about 2,500 snakebite cases annually, drawing patients from Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad, with a very low mortality rate when treatment is timely.
“Our major problems arise when patients come very late or when anti-snake venom is unavailable. In 2025, our mortality rate was just 0.03 per cent,” he said.
However, he lamented that the high cost of treatment remains a major barrier, with a single vial of antivenom now costing about ₦250,000, forcing many victims to resort to traditional remedies.
He also linked the apparent drop in reported snakebite cases in some areas to a lack of access to free antivenom.
“Many people now use local concoctions. Only when the condition becomes severe do they come to hospitals, and by then, mortality is high,” he explained.
Another expert, Dr Abe Musa of the Toxinological Society of Nigeria, also condemned the practice of tying snakebite wounds.
“Venom cannot be stopped with a piece of cloth. Going to the hospital immediately and receiving the right number of antivenom vials is key to survival,” he said.
The Toxinological Society of Nigeria estimates that the country records about 43,000 snakebite cases and nearly 1,900 deaths annually, and has repeatedly called on the Federal Government to invest in snakebite control and subsidise antivenom supplies.
Reacting to Nwangene’s death, Amani-Hamman said a timely transfer to a specialised centre could have saved her life, recalling a similar case of a patient brought from Abuja to Kaltungo after failed treatment attempts elsewhere who eventually survived.
“She could have survived if she had been brought here early,” he said.
The experts urged Nigerians to abandon harmful first-aid myths and prioritise immediate hospital care, warning that delays and unsafe practices continue to claim thousands of preventable deaths each year.
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