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At 7am, an eight-year-old boy is brought by an ambulance to Kamuge Dispensary in Suguta as an emergency case.
He is unconscious, his leg severely swollen and oedematous (excess fluid buildup).
The boy has just been bitten by a snake.
Swiftly, nurses at the facility administer anti-venom in efforts to save his life.
He was bitten while migrating with his father in search of water and pasture for their livestock following the prolonged drought being experienced in Turkana County when the incident occurred.
“The boy was bitten at about 5am. His father attempted first aid by applying herbs and tying the leg with a rope to prevent the spread of venom, but the swelling continued. He then contacted the facility for transport and medical care,” dispensary in-charge Soop Lomus tells The Standard.
The nurse suspects the boy may have been bitten by a puff adder, a snake species commonly found in Turkana.
He describes it as thick-bodied, with brown, black, and yellowish patterns, and highly venomous.
Although it moves slowly, the species is defensive and continues to pose a significant threat to pastoralists in the arid and semi-arid counties.
It took the boy about two hours to reach the hospital due to the poor road network.
The snakebite occurred in Nelio as the family was migrating toward Kakapeti, about 21 kilometres away.
“Delays contributed to the swelling of the boy’s leg, and the venom had already spread to other parts of his body. We are, however, relieved that he is now out of danger,” says Lomus.
As the boy is wheeled to the ward for monitoring, 41-year-old Esther Amoding arrives at the facility, her hand tightly tied with a rope.
She had been bitten by a snake while plucking wild fruits (palm fruits) near Suguta Valley.
Amoding is visibly in pain, walks with difficulty and gasping for breath.
“A black snake bit my hand while I was picking wild fruits. I tied it, but the pain is unbearable,” she says.
The frail mother explains that she had gone to the valley to collect fruits to feed her children.
“I usually walk to the valleys to gather wild fruits for my children. I have no food to give them. Bandits stole some of our livestock, and the rest was swept away by the drought,” she regrets.
Her 12-year-old son was also bitten on the hand while sleeping at night.
“It saddens me that we are forced to fight both snakes and hunger as a result of the drought. My son was asleep when a black snake entered the house and bit his hand. I do not know what we can do to stay safe,” says Amoding.
The cases reflect a wider rise in snakebites in Turkana, with health experts urging residents to seek medical attention promptly.
Lomus attributes the increase to the persistent drought.
“Snakes are moving closer to human settlements in search of water, putting more people at risk,” says the nurse.
Snakes are increasingly moving into inhabited areas in search of water, biting residents in the process.
Health data at Kamuge Dispensary shows a significant rise in snakebite cases, with at least 10 reported every day.
Some patients are treated and discharged, while those in critical condition are admitted for further observation and care.
Poor road networks and difficult terrain often delay access to health facilities, a situation worsened by insecurity in some areas.
Cases requiring specialised treatment are usually referred to Lodwar Referral Hospital or Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret.
“We are seeing more cases of snakebites, more so in children. To handle the cases, we are ensuring the hospital is stocked with adequate antivenom to save lives,” says the nurse.
The drought has swept away several livestock in the country, and to salvage the remaining stock, families are being forced to migrate in search of water and pasture for the stock.
Families, according to the nurse, migrate at night because of the scorching sun and fear of their stock being stolen by armed bandits.
Unfortunately, at night, they risk being bitten by snakes.
“It is difficult to spot snakes at night. They hide in rocks and bite individuals searching for pasture and water for their stock,” says Lomus.
Snakes hide in rocks and get into houses at night and during the day, in search of water, as the drought persists.
A report by the Ministry of Health reveals that Turkana has the highest incidence of snake bites.
Other counties include Samburu, Kitui (specifically Kitui South, Mwingi North, Mwingi Central, and Kitui East), and endemic cases in Kajiado, Kilifi, Kwale, and Taita.
Turkana’s rates of snakebites stand at 413 per 100,000 inhabitants.
Immediately someone is bitten by a snake, it is advised to have them receive antivenom.
Bites by venomous snakes can cause paralysis that may prevent breathing, bleeding disorders that can lead to a fatal haemorrhage, irreversible kidney failure and tissue damage that can cause permanent disability, limb amputation and death.
Antivenoms neutralise venoms, though individuals can vary in their physio-pathological response and sensitivity.
“With increased cases of snake bites, we are sensitising locals to report to hospitals for medical care. Though the majority cannot afford transport, we pick them from their respective localities to save lives,” notes Lomus.
The Kenya Red Cross Society is among the humanitarian organisations working closely with hospitals and communities to provide care to victims of snakebites.
The society links victims to facilities and offers them means of transport.
Nationally, the drought situation is increasing drastically, with more counties reported to be in dire need of humanitarian aid.
Reports by the Kenya Red Cross Society list Turkana, Marsabit, Wajir, Isiolo, Garissa, and Samburu among the highly affected counties.
The report notes that Kenya is facing a worsening drought characterised by early depletion of household food stocks, reduced pasture and water availability, declining livestock productivity and increased livestock migration.
Acute malnutrition remains at critical levels. Seven counties and sub-counties are in the critical phase.
Turkana, Mandera, Samburu, Garissa, Isolo, Marsabit (North Horr and Laisamis), West Pokot (East Pokot) and Baringo (Tiaty).
Three counties and sub-counties are in a serious phase, namely Wajir, Tana River, West Pokot, and Marsabit (Saku).
An estimated 784,000 children aged six and 59 months and 134,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women require treatment for acute malnutrition nationally.
Kenya Red Cross Society is actively responding to the ongoing drought across ASAL counties, providing food assistance, cash transfers, nutrition services, clean water and psychosocial support to vulnerable households.
The society is also working closely with both national and county governments as an auxiliary to the government in disaster response and in coordination with UN agencies and humanitarian partners.
Red Cross is implementing a multi-sectoral drought response focusing on food, security, nutrition, water and protection.
