Nairobi – The Kenyan government has pledged financial support for applied research aimed at accelerating the local production of anti-venom, in an effort to address the increasing incidence of snakebites.
According to a new release by Kenya News Agency, the country currently depends heavily on snake anti-venom imports from South Africa and India, a reliance that the planned research aims to eliminate.
Mutua stated that the government funding is aimed at enhancing timely access to anti-venom treatments, with the ultimate goal of reducing both mortality and long-term disabilities caused by snakebites. Data from the Kenya Snakebite Research and Prevention Centre indicates that Kenya harbors some of Africa’s most lethal snake species. An estimated 25 individuals lose their lives daily to snakebites in the country, particularly in its arid and semi-arid regions such as the counties of Baringo, Garrissa, Kitui, Kilifi, Marsabit, Machakos, Isiolo, and Taita Taveta.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), snakebite is categorized as a Neglected Tropical Disease and claims 32,000 lives annually in Sub-Saharan Africa. Over 90,000 victims also suffer from permanent disabilities. The government’s commitment to research is seen as a measure to change these statistics and improve access to anti-venom therapies for afflicted communities.
During a visit to the Wildlife Research and Training Institute (WRTI) in Naivasha, Mutua also discussed other aspects of wildlife research. He announced that the government will finance a Sh268 million state-of-the-art laboratory at the institute. This investment aims to enhance wildlife research and specimen storage as efforts to protect endangered species intensify. According to the 2021 National Wildlife Census Report, several species, including the black rhino and the sable antelope, are critically endangered.
Mutua emphasized the importance of wildlife to Kenya’s tourism sector, which contributes to over 70% of the sector’s revenue and attracts an average of two million visitors annually. However, he also expressed concerns over increasing human-wildlife conflicts, attributing 68% of wildlife straying out of their natural habitats to climate change-related factors such as droughts and rising temperatures.
To manage this, Mutua said that the government will introduce mobile clinics to educate and sensitize communities on peaceful coexistence with wildlife and to ensure safe reporting of incidents involving stray animals. Institute Board Chairman David Nkedianye also confirmed that the new laboratory will enhance the handling of complex genetic issues, currently undertaken in Italy, and revealed plans for the Institute to collaborate with counties to improve wildlife management and tourism.