If nothing is done , then by the middle of next year the world will break away out of one of the safe and most effective treatments for snakebites . This could run to tens of K of preventable deaths , warns the international aesculapian organizationDoctors Without Borders ( MSF ) , which advocate the global wellness community to take action in tackle one of the planet ’s most neglected public health emergencies .
“ We are now facing a literal crisis , ” said Dr Gabriel Alcoba , MSFsnakebite aesculapian adviser , in astatement . The anti - spitefulness in interrogation , call Fav - Afrique , is one of the most effective , treat 10 unlike snake bite that occur in sub - Saharan Africa . Manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur ceased production in 2014 , and the last good deal is due to die in June 2016 . Even with quick activity no substitution mathematical product would be available for at least two years . This could lead to countless deaths and amputations for those who can not enter the appropriate health guardianship .
It ’s thought that over five million people a year are bitten by snakes , out of which 100,000 will die and almost half a million will be for good handicapped . With such mellow digit , MSF has call on the World Health Organization ( WHO ) to take a leading role in tackling the problem , in improver to governments and pharmaceutical companies . At between $ 250 - 500 ( £ 160 - 320 ) per victim , the treatment for snakebite can cost the equivalent of four eld ' salary in the nation affected .
Sanofi Pasteur says it has been priced out of the market by inexpensive competitors and is insteadfocusing on rabiestreatments . But MSF warns that the rubber and effectuality of these alternative have not yet been properly established . The pharmaceutical company announced its intention to stop making the Cartesian product way back in 2010 , and has offered to deal its anti - venom recipe with others . “ It ’s very foreign that the relevant stakeholder are only realising this job five twelvemonth later , ” say Sanofi Pasteur spokesmanAlain Bernal .
The main threat of this shortage is to those living in sub - Saharan Africa , where 30,000 people a year die from snake bites . Envenomation by Snake River isprimarily a problemfor those in poor rural population , who already have a limited access to medicine , due to price and withdrawnness . It is these biotic community that will behave the brunt of this lack of anti - spite .
Unfortunately , accord to the WHO , giver are largelyuninterestedin funding snakebite programs .
