Polyvalent antivenom

Polyvalent antivenom in Kenya costs an average of $50 USD per vial, and many snake bite patients require upwards of 10+ vials. This is often an unbearable financial burden, as the people most likely to be bitten by venomous snakes are low-income, sometimes making less than $2 USD per day.

Globally, snake bites are a neglected tropical disease, killing upwards of 100 000 people each year. In Kenya, the incidence of snakebite has been reported to be 68/100 000 (Ochola, Okuma et al., doi:10.11604/pamj.2018.29.217.15366). Kenya has a population of some of the most venomous snakes in the world, including multiple species of mambas, cobras, and adders. Snake bite envenomation, even when non-fatal, can lead to permanent disfigurement and disability. Rapid, definitive care is a necessity in any snake envenomation. Currently, antivenom is the definitive -- and expensive -- treatment for snake bites.