A 39-year-old woman, Faith Umorin, has survived a snakebite after receiving five doses of anti-snake venom at a primary health centre in Edeoha, Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board (RSPHCMB) disclosed this in a statement. It said health workers treated Umorin after a snake bit her on 24 August 2026.
Umorin was walking near bushes close to her home in Udebu community when the incident occurred. Her condition worsened before her brother, Bright Umorin, took her to the Primary Health Centre.
At the facility, community health worker Ege Rufus and his team administered five doses of anti-snake venom. They also provided supportive care under the guidance of the medical officer of health, Dr Onyeche.
Umorin spent the night at the centre. She was discharged the following day after her condition improved. She has since recovered and returned for follow-up care.
Rivers distributes anti-snake venom to health centres
The treatment followed the board’s procurement of 500 doses of anti-snake venom in May 2026. The board distributed the medication to 200 primary healthcare facilities across Rivers State.
Before distributing the medication, the board trained medical officers of health, facility heads, doctors, nurses and community health workers in snakebite management.
Dr Onyeche said the training began at the board’s headquarters in Port Harcourt. The board later extended the training to healthcare workers across local government areas.
“At the conclusion of that step-down training, we distributed the anti-snake venom to them,” Onyeche said.
Snakebite survivor urges victims to seek treatment
Umorin said she feared she might die after the snakebite. She thanked the health workers for treating her and urged other victims to seek medical attention promptly.
“I will invite the person to come to the health centre,” she said.
The board said the intervention aims to improve access to emergency snakebite treatment in rural communities.
It added that providing anti-snake venom and training healthcare workers would help primary health facilities respond to snakebite cases.
The case highlights the role of primary healthcare facilities in providing emergency treatment to residents in rural communities across Rivers State.
