The Senate has urged the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to urgently develop and enforce national guidelines requiring public and private hospitals to maintain minimum stock levels of life-saving antidotes and emergency medicines across the country.
The call followed the consideration of a motion sponsored by Senator Adebule Oluranti, representing Lagos West, which highlighted growing concerns over Nigeria’s preparedness to handle medical emergencies such as snakebites, scorpion stings, poisoning, drug overdoses, and other forms of envenomation.
The lawmakers expressed deep concern over the recent death of a 26-year-old Abuja-based singer, Miss Ifunanya Nwangene, popularly known as Nanyah, who reportedly died from complications arising from a snake bite.
The incident occurred just days before the Senate debate and was described by lawmakers as tragic and largely preventable.
While presenting the motion, Senator Idiat noted that cases of envenomation and acute poisoning were on the rise across Nigeria, yet many health facilities lacked basic emergency antidotes required to save lives.
She stressed that the absence of such essential medicines exposes critical gaps in the country’s healthcare delivery system.
The Senate observed that Nwangene allegedly sought urgent medical attention at two different hospitals after the snake bite but was reportedly denied treatment due to the unavailability of anti-snake venom.
The lawmakers said the development raised serious questions about emergency preparedness in both public and private health institutions.
Following deliberations, the Senate resolved to call on relevant health regulatory agencies to make the availability of essential antidotes a compulsory requirement for the licensing, registration, and renewal of accreditation of private hospitals nationwide.
It also urged the government to ensure adequate budgetary allocation and efficient supply chains for public hospitals to prevent shortages of emergency medicines.
In addition, the upper chamber directed the Federal Ministry of Information and the National Orientation Agency to launch nationwide public awareness campaigns on the dangers of delayed medical treatment following snakebites, poisoning, and similar emergencies.
The lawmakers emphasised the need to educate citizens on the importance of prompt hospital presentation to improve survival outcomes.
The Senate maintained that no Nigerian should lose their life due to the absence of basic, life-saving medical supplies, describing the death of the young singer as a painful reminder of the urgent need to strengthen emergency healthcare systems across the country.
