Snakebite cases are on the rise in the town of Walgak in Jonglei State’s Akobo County with at least 33 patients nursing wounds and four others dying since last month, authorities said.
Puok Nyang Tutjiek, the county commissioner, told Radio Tamazuj that the rise in the cases of bites by venomous snakes was exacerbated by floods amidst a lack of healthcare services and appealed for intervention.
“Flooding is very severe in Walgak, resulting in 33 snakebites cases. Four people have died so far. The biggest problem now is that there are no antivenom drugs,” he said. “We appeal to our health partners to intervene and supply us with drugs.”
For his part, a health worker, Nyuon Koang, also decried the lack of antivenoms.
“The entire county of Akobo has run out of antivenom drugs,” he stated. “The reason for the rise is that there is an increase in the level of floodwaters, especially in Walgak.”