The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Tuesday in Geneva new directives for the production and control of antidotes used to treat victims of venomous snake bites.
-Each year, about 2,5 million people bitten by snakes become infected with venom. Approx. 100 thousand of them die, and about 300 thousand. the bite ends in limb amputation or permanent disability.
Despite this, the medical market does not have enough suitable antidotes made from venom. They cannot be obtained in areas where bites are common, such as tropical areas of Africa, Asia and Latin America, the WHO reported.
Among the reasons, Rago Lembit from WHO mentioned, among others lack of information on snake species, difficulties in assessing demand, and lack of adequate regulation.
The WHO said many manufacturers stopped making the antidote a long time ago. On the other hand, the prices of drugs available on the market are too high to be used by those who need them.
If the antidote is to be effective, it must be made from the venom of a snake species found in the area, Lembit added.
In addition to issuing the directives, WHO has launched a website (http://bit.ly/afzgEF) with information on snakes living in each country. On the website you can find out which species are poisonous and what to do in case of a bite (PAP)