Senate Urges Mandatory Stocking Of Antidotes, Emergency Medicines Nationwide

The Senate on Tuesday called for the urgent and mandatory availability of life-saving antidotes and emergency medicines in all public and private hospitals across Nigeria, in response to increasing incidents of snakebites, poisoning, drug overdoses, and other medical emergencies.

The resolution followed a motion sponsored by Senator Idiat Oluranti Adebule (APC, Lagos West), who highlighted what lawmakers described as “dangerous gaps” in the country’s emergency healthcare preparedness.

During proceedings, the Senate observed a minute of silence in honour of Miss Ifunanya Nwangene, who reportedly died in Abuja after a snakebite—a death lawmakers said was preventable and indicative of systemic failures in emergency response and antidote availability.

In his remarks, Sen. Sunday Karimi (APC, Kogi West) described Nwangene’s death as “needless,” stressing that hospitals should always be equipped with essential antidotes. “We have to be proactive as a government. I don’t see why medical centres should not have antidotes,” he said.

Sen. Ekong Sampson (APC, Akwa Ibom) echoed the call, noting that the motion underscores the need for clear healthcare policies and consistent implementation to strengthen the nation’s emergency medical response.

We don’t have to wait until there’s a fatality through snakebites. This is a lesson for us to be proactive, and we must take healthcare very seriously.

“It is tragic that the deceased went the way she died. The fatalities that are caused by snakebites can be very painful.

“We must protect the health of our people. My heart bleeds for the family of the deceased who have done well for this country. It is one loss too many. But this is avoidable,” he said.

In his remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said Nwangene was a very promising Nigerian, adding that her death was a great loss to the country and her family.

Leading the debate, Senator Adebule noted that medical emergencies such as snakebites, scorpion stings, and poisoning require immediate access to specific antidotes, warning that delays during the critical “golden hour” often result in preventable deaths or irreversible complications.

“The tragic death of Miss Ifunanya Nwangene exposes the grave consequences of inadequate emergency preparedness in both public and private hospitals,” she said. “No Nigerian should lose their life simply because a hospital lacks basic, life-saving antidotes.”

She recalled that the World Health Organization (WHO) classifies snakebite envenoming as a neglected tropical disease and has repeatedly stressed the importance of timely access to safe and effective antivenoms, particularly in countries like Nigeria, where such incidents remain prevalent.

She further cited constitutional provisions, including Sections 14(2)(b) and 17(3)(d) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which mandate government at all levels to prioritise the security, welfare, and access to adequate medical facilities for all citizens.

She expressed concern that many hospitals, both public and private, either do not stock essential antidotes such as antivenoms and anti-toxins or keep them in insufficient quantities, forcing patients to move from one hospital to another in emergencies.

This practice of shuttling victims between hospitals in search of antidotes is unacceptable and deadly,” she said. “It increases mortality rates and erodes public confidence in our healthcare system.”

In its resolutions, the Senate urged the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, through relevant agencies, to develop and enforce national guidelines prescribing minimum stock levels of essential antidotes and emergency medicines in designated public and private hospitals.

It also called on the Ministry, in collaboration with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), to ensure the procurement, quality assurance, proper storage, and nationwide availability of safe, effective, and affordable antivenoms, with priority given to high-risk regions.

The Senate further urged state governments, through their ministries of health and hospital management boards, to immediately audit hospitals within their jurisdictions to assess compliance with approved antidote-stocking and emergency preparedness standards.

In addition, relevant professional and regulatory bodies were mandated to strengthen emergency response standards and ensure periodic training of healthcare personnel on the administration of antidotes.

Lawmakers also called on the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and all state governments to establish coordinated emergency referral and response systems linking public and private hospitals to guarantee timely access to life-saving medicines.

The Senate resolved that the stocking of essential antidotes should become a mandatory condition for the licensing, registration, and renewal of accreditation of private hospitals, while adequate budgetary provisions and supply mechanisms should be ensured for public hospitals.

It also directed the Federal Ministry of Information and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to embark on nationwide sensitisation campaigns on the dangers of delayed medical treatment following snakebites and other forms of poisoning.

In a related measure, the Senate urged the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to strengthen building regulations by making the installation of Non-Return Valves (NRVs) mandatory under the National Building Code, to prevent rodents and snakes from entering buildings through drainage systems.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, in his remarks, said the resolutions reflected the Senate’s commitment to protecting lives. “The welfare of Nigerians must remain paramount. No life should be lost because of avoidable lapses in our healthcare system,” he said.