Senate urges mandatory antivenom stocking in hospitals after singer’s death

• Senate calls for coordinated emergency response systems linking public and private hospitals.
• Motion follows the death of Abuja singer Ifunanya Nwangene due to delayed antivenom access.
• Senators demand mandatory stocking of life-saving antidotes, audits, and healthcare worker training.

The Nigerian Senate has raised urgent concerns about gaps in hospital emergency preparedness following the tragic death of Abuja-based singer Ifunanya Nwangene. Lawmakers urged state governments and the Federal Capital Territory Administration to establish coordinated referral systems to ensure swift access to critical medicines during emergencies such as snakebites, scorpion stings, poisonings, and drug overdoses.

The motion, sponsored by Senator Idiat Oluranti Adebule (APC, Lagos West), was motivated by public outrage over Nwangene’s death. Reports indicate that she sought help at two hospitals but could not receive timely antivenom treatment. While the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja, made concerted efforts to save her, she ultimately did not survive.

Senate demands systemic reforms

Senators noted that many public and private hospitals either do not stock essential antidotes or maintain insufficient quantities, forcing victims to move between facilities during the critical “golden hour.” Adebule highlighted that the World Health Organisation classifies snakebite envenoming as a neglected tropical disease and emphasized the importance of timely access to safe and effective antivenoms, particularly in countries like Nigeria, where such incidents are common.

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The Senate resolved that the Federal Ministry of Health and NAFDAC should ensure the procurement, quality assurance, storage, and nationwide availability of antivenoms and other emergency medicines, giving priority to high-risk regions. State health ministries were also directed to audit hospitals for compliance with antidote-stocking standards.

Additionally, health regulatory authorities were mandated to make stocking of essential antidotes a condition for the licensing and accreditation of private hospitals, while ensuring periodic training for healthcare workers. The Senate also recommended strengthening building codes, requiring Non-Return Valves in homes to prevent snakes and rodents from entering.

Honoring the late Ifunanya Nwangene

During the proceedings, Senators observed a minute of silence in honor of Ifunanya Nwangene, underscoring the urgent need for systemic improvements in emergency medical response across Nigeria.