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Matafwali SK, Vlahakis PA, Daka V, et al. Assessment of the availability of snakebite antivenom in health facilities in Ndola District, Zambia: a cross-sectional study. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2021;doi: 10.1093/trstmh/trab178.
Matafwali, S. K., Vlahakis, P. A., Daka, V., Witika, B. A., Nyirenda, H. T., Chisompola, N. K., & Mwila, C. (2021). Assessment of the availability of snakebite antivenom in health facilities in Ndola District, Zambia: a cross-sectional study. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, . https://doi.org/10.1093/trstmh/trab178
Matafwali, Scott K, et al. "Assessment of the availability of snakebite antivenom in health facilities in Ndola District, Zambia: a cross-sectional study." Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene vol. (2021). doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/trstmh/trab178
Matafwali SK, Vlahakis PA, Daka V, Witika BA, Nyirenda HT, Chisompola NK, Mwila C. Assessment of the availability of snakebite antivenom in health facilities in Ndola District, Zambia: a cross-sectional study. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2021 Nov 25; doi: 10.1093/trstmh/trab178. Epub 2021 Nov 25. PMID: 34850233.
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Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 2021 Nov 25; doi: 10.1093/trstmh/trab178. Epub 2021 Nov 25.

Assessment of the availability of snakebite antivenom in health facilities in Ndola District, Zambia: a cross-sectional study.

Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

Scott K Matafwali, Pipina A Vlahakis, Victor Daka, Bwalya A Witika, Herbert T Nyirenda, Namaunga K Chisompola, Chiluba Mwila

Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine, Basic Sciences Department, Copperbelt University, Ndola, 10101, Zambia.
  2. Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Clinical Research Department, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK.
  3. School of Medicine, Department of Public Health, Copperbelt University, Ndola, 10101, Zambia.
  4. School of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, 0208, South Africa.
  5. School of Health Sciences, Department of Pharmacy, The University of Zambia, Lusaka, 10101, Zambia.

PMID: 34850233 DOI: 10.1093/trstmh/trab178

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Despite snakebite antivenom being included on the WHO list of essential medicines, many parts of the world, especially Africa, lack effective and safe antivenoms.

METHODS: A descriptive, field-based, cross-sectional study was undertaken from August to November 2020 in 40 out of 71 health facilities in Ndola district. Interviews and physical inspection were conducted at each facility.

RESULTS: The study revealed that only three (8%) of all the private health facilities had antivenom available at the time of the assessment. Factors significantly associated with antivenom supply included lack of central country supply (90%), lack of demand of the antivenom (55%) and no budget allocation for the antivenom (95%).

CONCLUSIONS: Despite the high number of notified snakebites within Ndola district, there remains poor availability of snakebite antivenom within the district.

© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Keywords: Ndola, snakebites; Zambia; accessibility, antivenom, availability

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