The Tragic Loss of Ifunanya Nwangene: Nigeria's Snakebite Crisis Revealed

Mon Feb 09 2026 01:05:15 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Ifunanya Nwangene, a budding soprano singer in Nigeria, tragically lost her life to a snakebite, shedding light on the country's dire healthcare issues regarding snakebite treatment and antivenom availability.

The death of Ifunanya Nwangene, a talented singer, after a snakebite has sparked a national conversation about the alarming incidence of snakebites in Nigeria and the inadequate healthcare response, particularly the availability of antivenom. Her tragic story reflects the broader public health crisis affecting many in sub-Saharan Africa.

Ifunanya Nwangene was asleep last Saturday morning in her ground-floor apartment in Nigeria's capital city when she was awoken at around 08:00 by a searing pain on her wrist.

A snake came up on her bed and bit her, said her father, Christopher Nwangene, while recounting the events that led to his daughter's tragic death, which has raised serious concerns about how hospitals deal with snakebites, and the availability of antivenom across Nigeria, which has the world's third-highest incidence of snakebites.

Ifunanya, a well-known soprano singer who gained fame on the local version of the TV competition 'The Voice', knew she had to get antivenom at a hospital as soon as possible. Her father shared that she applied a tourniquet, tying a piece of rope tightly around her arm. This method was previously recommended to stop venom from spreading, but is now known to cause more harm than good.

Patients are now advised to keep calm and seek emergency medical care immediately, but panic can set in when they arrive at hospitals and find no antivenom available, as happened to Ifunanya. She was later taken to Abuja's Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, where her condition worsened despite receiving initial treatment.

Christopher Nwangene expressed his frustration, questioning the hospital's decisions, especially when they removed the tourniquet without having the necessary antivenom. Ifunanya's friends and family scrambled to find the medication, but it was too late. Her death has sparked widespread grief and urgent questions about Nigeria's healthcare system, especially for snakebite victims.

With Nigeria facing an 'epidemic proportions' of snakebites, the situation is exacerbated by the lack of affordable antivenom, which needs to be stored in properly maintained facilities, a challenge in areas with unreliable electricity.

Health experts have called on Nigerian authorities to improve the access to effective and affordable antivenoms, as the issue is deeply rooted in the neglect of tropical diseases. Innovative solutions, such as the repurposing of heparin as an antidote for snake venom, have been suggested, but the immediate need remains to address the current healthcare inadequacies that have cost lives.