WHO Antivenom Stockpile Programme PHASE 1

Sub-Saharan Africa has a high snakebite burden, compounded by a lack of safe, effective and affordable treatments that are accessible to victims.

Across seven East African countries (Ethiopia, South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi) there are an estimated 89,940 (95% Confidence Interval: 74,511-105,385) cases of snakebite each year, while in seven West African nations (Cameroon, Nigeria, Chad, Togo, Benin, Ghana and Burkina Faso) there are 70,712 (95% CI: 58,348-84,791) cases annually.

Access to snake antivenoms for the treatment of snakebite envenoming in sub-Saharan Africa has been declining since at least the 1970’s and current data provided to WHO suggests that <10% of antivenom products are clinically effective.

WHO has undertaken a risk-benefit assessment of antivenoms in sub-Saharan Africa and identified potential candidates for use in a snake antivenom stockpile programme.

This funding application covers Phase I of the development of this programme and involves 6 work packages to collect, analyse and visualise baseline data, develop geospatial analytical models, publicly accessible visualisation and data tools, cost-effectiveness evaluation of products, and cost-utility of supply and distribution systems, alongside mapping health system resource and personnel capacity building needs to enable a pilot programme to be designed for roll out in 2022.