The snakebite squad

Published: Sept. 17, 2019, 2:06 a.m.

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It's estimated that a person dies from a snakebite every five minutes. Many more people face life-changing injuries, losing limbs and consequently their livelihoods.\\n \\nAntivenoms are expensive to make and are in short supply, particularly in remote communities where they are needed the most. And what\\u2019s more, snakebites in different parts of the world need different types of antivenoms. Many of the current treatments available in sub-Saharan Africa have been developed from snakes in Asia, but antivenom made to treat Indian snakebites won\\u2019t work as well on people bitten by snakes in Africa.

Now a new research facility in Kenya is trying to develop better antivenoms from African snakes. \\nAnd they've launched a motorbike snakebite ambulance service too, to get people who have been bitten to hospital fast.

(Photo Credit: BBC)

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