A child identified as Josephine Kwanchata, 7, died shortly after being bitten by a snake in the Eastern Equatoria State capital Torit over the weekend.
The tragic incident happened on Sunday evening when the deceased was playing with her siblings in their compound.
Simon Ikarang, the chief of the Enyief suburb, told Radio Tamazuj on Monday that the child died shortly after being bitten by the snake. He said the snake was not identified, making it difficult to intervene using local medicine.
“A snake bit a seven-year-old child within the compound in a very clean environment,” he explained. “I do not know the type of snake that bit her but she died instantly. It happened on Sunday at about 7 p.m.”
Lucy Flora, the distraught mother of the child said the deceased was living with her aunt.
“Her name is Josephine Kwanchata and she was staying with my elder sister. The snake just came and bit my child at home within the compound. As a mother, I am stressed and I do not know what to do because it hurts and pains to lose a child. The death of my daughter has affected us a lot and I wish it were me who had died.
For her part, Santina Ikoki, the deputy medical director at Torit State Hospital, urged the local population to report cases of snake bites within two hours.
She however decried the lack of anti-venom medicine to address snake bites and called on partners to help.
“Some insects and reptiles including snakes and scorpions are poisonous to and can kill humans so our homes and surroundings should be clean,” she advised. “Cases of snake bites should be reported or taken to the hospital within two hours for urgent medication before the poison mixes with the blood.”
According to Ikoki, “Torit State Hospital currently lacks support because partners are not injecting funds to run the facility.”