Death of girl, 3, highlights need for anti-venom in Bohol – Pizarras

Atty. JordanPizarras with the family of the snake bite victim. | Contributed photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines – A three-year-child from Loon, Bohol succumbed to two cobra bites last week.

The tragedy prompted Lawyer Jordan Pizarras to call for the immediate stocking of cobra anti-venom in district hospitals in the island province to prevent a similar tragedy from happening again.

“The death of a child is a tragedy that should not happen again,” said Pizarras, who is seeking election for Bohol First District Representative.

READ: Antivenom supply: ‘Crucial regional hospitals’ must have them – Tulfo

Cobra anti-venom is currently available only at the Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital in Tagbilaran City which is located at least 25 kilometers away from Loon town.

Cobra bite

Last week, a three-year-old girl from the mountain barangay of Bagakay Kawayan in Loon town was bitten by a cobra.

According to reports, the child was first brought to a “mananambal” or traditional healer before she was brought to the Loon District Hospital.

READ: Cobra bites: Where to get antivenom treatment when bitten by a venomous snake in Cebu

She died shortly after she was brought to the hospital.

Dr. Fruserma Mary Uy, the officer-in-charge of the Bohol Provincial Health Office (PHO), gave emphasis on the need for rapid medical intervention in the event of a snake bite.

“In snake bites, time is of the essence. Delays, especially due to seeking alternative treatments, often cost lives,” Uy said.

READ: King cobra sightings in Cebu City: Residents call for snakebite treatment in barangays

Balance

Pizarras said that the incident highlights the need to stock anti-venom in all district hospitals in their province.

“While cobras play an important role in controlling the rat population, we must prioritize protecting human lives. We need a balance—conserving wildlife while ensuring that our hospitals are equipped to save lives when snake bites occur,” he said.

“We need to ensure that anti-venom is accessible in every corner of Bohol to prevent such tragedies,” he added.

Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado, for his part, has already given instructions for the PHO to stock anti-venom in strategic locations, including in the towns of Tubigon, Loon, Talibon, Ubay, and Jagna.

Logistical challenges

Uy said there are logistical challenges of storing anti-venom.

“These are anti-toxins that require specialized storage and handling by trained personnel. Anti-venom must be kept at the right temperature, and it has a limited shelf life,” she said.

Uy said that PHO is currently working on a procurement strategy that will ensure a sufficient but manageable stock of anti-venom in Bohol’s hospitals.

She said that anti-venom can only be accessed from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), and is not mass-produced.