Perspectives from MSF snakebite programme implementation in Agok, Abyei region, South Sudan

Abstract

Every five minutes, somebody dies from a snakebite. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 5.4 million people get bitten worldwide every year and around 81,000 to 138,000 people die each year because of snake bites.[1] In Africa alone, 435,000 to 580,000 victims[2] suffer snakebite envenoming and South Sudan could be one of the countries with the highest incidence. However, snakebite still receives less attention globally than other Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) and comprehensive programmes and efforts to provide care to snakebite patients are limited.

Keywords

• snake bites
• who
• south sudan