SRHIN AFRICA Website
SnakeBite Project
A life-saving initiative addressing snakebite envenoming in rural Nigeria.
Funded by the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (RSTMH)
About the SnakeBite Initiative
The Snakebite Project is a public health initiative aimed at empowering CHWs in Northern Nigeria with the knowledge and skills needed to identify snakes and respond effectively to snakebite emergencies. Through targeted training and culturally relevant educational materials, this project is equipping health workers to deliver life-saving interventions in the communities they serve.
Why This Project Matters
Every year, an estimated 20,000 people in Nigeria are bitten by snakes. Of these, 2,000 die, and 1,800 are left with long-term disabilities — often because they cannot access medical help in time or receive the wrong first aid.
Our Approach and Project Activites
Co-creating localized learning materials
- We collaborate with community leaders and health educators to develop and translate culturally appropriate educational resources. These materials help raise awareness about snakebite prevention, identification, and correct first-aid response.
Training community healthworkers
We organize intensive, hands-on training sessions for 50+ CHWs in high-risk areas. These sessions equip them to:
Identify venomous and non-venomous snakes
Administer safe first aid
Guide victims to proper medical care quickly
Community engagement and behavior change
- We go beyond technical training. We mobilize entire communities to abandon harmful practices and adopt proven, life-saving behaviors when snakebites happen.
Measuring Impact
- We conduct baseline and endline evaluations to assess how training improves the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of CHWs. This evidence informs our strategy and helps scale what works.
Our Focus Areas
Advancing Health Through Education & Advocacy
Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)
Healthcare Capacity Building
Emergency & First Aid Training
Community Health Education
Key Activities
- Creation and translation of snakebite prevention guides in local languages.
- Creation and translation of snakebite prevention guides in local languages.
- Conduct baseline and endline assessments to evaluate the improvements in CHWs’ knowledge and attitude towards snakebite management