South Africa is in the midst of a health crisis with a scramble for snake antivenom.
The Snake Bite Institute said this week that since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the South African Vaccine Producers (SAVP) has experienced production problems, and over the past few years there have been multiple instances when antivenom was in severe short supply.

A Boomslang caught in De Wildt by the Hartbeespoort Snake and Animal Park last week.

Veterinarians have had great difficulty sourcing antivenom, and many animals have died as they could not be treated after a snakebite.
“The current situation is dire, and it appears that SAVP has no stock and nothing is being produced. Unfortunately, it is not possible to get any answers from SAVP, but in a recent email, they confirmed that they could not supply antivenom at present,” said Ashley Kemp of the African Snakebite Institute
She said most major hospitals in high-risk areas carry some antivenom but often have far too little in stock. For a serious snakebite, the initial dosage is around 6-12 vials of polyvalent antivenom and additional vials may be required.
“An alternative antivenom called Pan African Premium is currently being imported under Section 21 of the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority and it appears to be a good alternative. It costs about the same as the SAVP polyvalent antivenom but requires twice the dosage, thus double the price. It also requires a great deal of paperwork in order to purchase it.”
However, the Hartbeespoort Snake and Animal Park said this week they have enough stock of an alternative antivenom and supplies to hospitals and veterinarians at request. “We always have antivenom which covers 24 snake species. The public, doctors and veterinarians are welcome to contact us,” said Jason Seale of Hartbeespoort Snake and Animal Park.
Kemp said that snakes are not aggressive and usually bite in desperation, for instance when stood on, accidentally cornered in a confined area or when someone attempts to kill one. “They are very quick to escape when given the opportunity but many will not hesitate to bite when they feel in danger. There is one exception, namely the Mozambique Spitting Cobra. It often accidentally ends up in homes when hunting at night and is known to bite people in their beds. Its venom is potently cytotoxic and although fatal bites are uncommon, bites often result in a great deal of tissue damage,” she said.
If you should encounter a snake, immediately ensure that kids and dogs are kept away. Observe the snake and call a snake remover. There are over 800 snake removers countrywide and you can easily find snake removers nearest to you using the free ASI Snakes App (http://bit.ly/snakebiteapp).
In the event of any snakebite, it is of the utmost importance to get the patient to the closest hospital emergency room. The Hartbeespoort Snake and Animal Park can be contacted at 012 253 1162 and the African Snakebite Institute at 073 186 9176.