THE BURDEN OF SNAKEBITES IN FIVE SELECTED HOSPITALS IN NORTHERN GHANA

Abstract

Snakebites, common in Sub Saharan Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and the Pacific areas are major setbacks that affect agricultural activities in developing countries. Morbidity and mortality from snake envenoming are a serious public health concern in these areas particularly among the poor and rural peasant farmers. This study investigated the burden and management of snakebites in five selected hospitals in the northern part of Ghana. From January 2017 to December 2019, the number of snakebites reported to 5 hospitals selected from the Northeast-, Northern- and Savannah-regions of Ghana was reviewed from the District Health Information Management System (DHIMS). Additional clinical information on the victims who reported and were managed at these hospitals was obtained from patients’ folders at the hospital level. In all, a total of 1,577 snakebite episodes reported to the five health facilities were reviewed of which ECG hospital in Kpandai recorded the majority of 33.2% (524) of the snakebites. The age group of 11-20 years was the most affected with males constituting 66.0% of the snakebite victims. While 43.4% of the victims were farmers, 33.8% were pupils or students. Annually, the incidence of snakebites was 81.8 snakebites per 100,000 population in 2017, 92 bites per 100,000 in 2018 and 76 bites per 100,000 persons in 2019. Of the 3,135 vials of ASV distributed among the five hospitals over the period, 91.4% of the patients actually received the ASV as part of their treatment at the hospital level whereas an additional 40% of them receive the ASV from sources other than the hospitals. In conclusion the burden of snakebite envenoming is very high in the 5 selected hospitals in the three Northern regions of Ghana studied between 2017 and 2019.