FEC approves upgrade of snakebite treatment centre in Gombe

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the upgrade of the snake bite treatment center in Kaltungo, Gombe State, into “the National Snake Bite Research and Medical Centre Kaltungo, Gombe State.”

This was disclosed by the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Ali Pate, after the FEC meeting on Monday.

Addressing State House correspondents after the meeting, the Minister said the Federal Executive Council considered four important items related to the health of Nigerians and approved same.

Pate said the first was the upgrade of the snake bite treatment center in Kaltungo, Gombe State, into the National Snake Bite Research and Medical Center with an expanded mandate for clinical services, research training to respond to the needs and give adequate attention to victims of snake bites.

JUST IN: FEC approves reform of NYSC

Declining crude prices don’t guarantee cheaper petrol – Experts

The Minister noted that snake bite remains a significant yet neglected public health challenge, particularly in rural communities, “in the savannah regions, but also across the sub region, and is especially hard on vulnerable populations, farmers, herders, hunters, women, and children, whose livelihoods and daily activities expose them to encounters with snakes, and we do have a large burden, over 43,000 snake bites annually.”

He said the approval became necessary because snakebites have resulted in death, disability, and psychological trauma with severe socioeconomic circumstances.

According to him, “This new center will be an important institution that will address the challenge, particularly in the Northeast, the Northwest, and the North Central geopolitical zones of Nigeria, where the issue is most dire.

“The new center will provide comprehensive, specialised care for snakebite and related issues, undertake research on snakebite epidemiology, prevention, diagnose and treatment, ensure sustainable access and supply of quality anti-snake venom and have full clinical and medical department for improving patient care and specialist services, among other things.

“It will also partner with international institutions. This is a major step that brings an institution that will be the first of its kind in this country, but also in our sub region.”

Pate also said the second item was the approval for the procurement of 10 units of compressed natural gas powered blood donation medical clinic vans for the National Blood Service Agency zonal activities, to facilitate the procuring, collection, and distribution of blood in each of the geopolitical zones.

He said Nigeria requires 1.8 million units of blood donations annually, adding that presently the country only gets about 25 – 30 percent.

“This blood donation vehicles can be deployed to mobilise donors, so that we enhance the collection of blood that is critical for pregnant women who may require a cesarean section, for trauma victims, for surgery victim, or for patients undergoing surgery, but also for those being treated for cancers who require repeated transfusions or other elements of blood.

“It’s part of the effort to build the infrastructure comprehensively for emergency medical services dealing with maternal health, and this 10 blood donation vehicles will be procured at the cost of ₦6.9 billion naira.”

He explained that the third approval was for the procurement of tuberculosis commodities by the Ministry of Health, at the sum of ₦62 billion naira.

He added, “Nigeria is among the countries that run among the highest burden of tuberculosis. Tuberculosis is a socially determined disease, is a disease of those who are poor and vulnerable, malnutrition, poor housing, and we have one of the largest borders.

“Nigeria is among the top countries that is able to detect those cases. Until now, most of the treatment for tuberculosis depended on external actors. Now Nigerian government is stepping in to procure those commodities and put us on a path to manufacture them locally.”

UPDATE NEWS:

Nigerians can now invest ₦2.5 million on premium domains and profit about ₦17-₦25 million. All earnings paid in US Dollars. Rather than wonder,

click here to find out how it works.