With 1.2 million primarily rural population, Eswatini is home to eight species of highly venomous snakes. These reptiles can be deadly when they bite people, particularly if there isn’t enough antivenoms.
South African snake experts argue that the energy crisis is partly to blame for the sub-Saharan African region’s antivenom shortage, which has resulted in at least three deaths over the past three weeks. South Africa provides antivenom to the region, but frequent power cuts have made it more difficult to preserve the refrigerated supplies.
People in rural, impoverished areas there and elsewhere are most at risk, challenged by poor or remote health systems, and limited diagnoses, ambulances and other emergency care – including reliable antivenom