NAIROBI, Kenya – The Kenyan government has demonstrated its commitment to combating snakebite deaths and disabilities that come with it.
Mary Muthoni, principal secretary of public health and professional standards in the Ministry of Health, says that as chair of the Global Snakebite Taskforce, the government is keen to end the vice.
PS Muthoni says that snake bites are more than a rural health emergency but rather a reflection of systematic inequalities, underinvestment, and neglect.
In Kenya, snake bites and venom remain a silent crisis, one that affects over 19,000 people annually and affects the lives of merely 800 individuals and leaves many more with lifelong disabilities and psychological trauma.
“These are not just statistics; they are stories of lives cut short, families devastated, and communities forced to grapple with the aftermath of a preventable tragedy,” said the PS.
But today, as global momentum builds across this course, PS Muthoni states that Kenya stands at a pivotal moment in history.
“Kenya is a proud Strike Out Snakebite Initiative member, and the current chair of the Global Snakebite Taskforce is advancing a bold agenda to end the scourge of snakebite deaths and disabilities,” she disclosed.
What are the WHO’s five strategic pillars on NTDs
Since snake bites and venom were designated a neglected tropical disease by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2017, Kenya has remained resolute in its response; anchored on the WHO’s five strategic pillars, the country has made significant measurable progress.
- Empowered communities’
- Access to treatment
- Strong health systems
- Robust surveillance
- Strategic partnerships
In 2022, snake bites and venom were formally integrated into Kenya’s National Masterplan for the elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs).
According to PS Muthoni, this move established a solid policy foundation for prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care.
“Our surveillance capacity has been strengthened through digital platforms such as the Kenya Health Information System and the Electronic Community Health Information System (E-CHIS), enabling real-time reporting and rapid response,” added the PS.
In 2023, during the nationwide mass drug administration campaigns, the Ministry of Health broadened its outreach by incorporating community-based surveillance and education on snakebites.
“By mapping ward-level hotspots, we now deploy antivenom and conduct outreach with greater precision and impact. Looking ahead, Kenya is focused on sustainable, homegrown solutions,” said PS Muthoni.
She reiterated that Kenya has committed funding to support local research and development of anti-venom and is building the foundation of domestic manufacturing anchored by standardised venom respiratory and global technology transfer.
“This effort goes beyond supporting supply. It is about building health sovereignty. We have also trained hundreds of clinicians and community health promoters, equipping them with the tools and skills to deliver timely and effective snakebite care,” explained the PS.
Through multisectoral collaborations, the PS revealed that her ministry is engaging policymakers, regulators, researchers, and civil societies to keep snakebites high on the national and international health agenda.
What are the challenges in the fight against snakebites
According to the PS, there is a dire need to confront the ongoing challenges, which include limited access to antivenom in remote areas, variable clinical capacity in hard-to-reach settings, and persistent underreporting, especially among pastoralists and nomadic communities, which obscures the large burden of this disease.
On the sidelines of the 78th World Health Assembly, PS Muthoni announced that Kenya will leverage its leadership as the chair of the Global Snakebite Taskforce to advance coordinated global action.
“We will elevate visibility, strengthen advocacy, and mobilise partnerships and resources to achieve global snakebite elimination targets,” she added.
Kenya’s three bold commitments towards combating snakebites
Against this background, Kenya reaffirms three bold commitments:
- To deepen integration: Embedding snakebite surveillance, prevention, and response across all NTD platforms and health outreach services.
- To champion local acceleration of domestic production of affordable, effective, and accessible antivenom.
- To enforce accountability: setting measurable, time-bound national milestones aimed at halving snakebite-related deaths and disabilities by 2030.
PS Muthoni maintained that snakebites and venom must no longer remain a hidden epidemic.
“With urgency, unity, and resolve, we can reach every community, deliver timely care, and save every possible life. Let us act now so that no one suffers or dies simply because they were bitten by a snake,” explained PS Muthoni.
