Burden of snakebite and the knowledge of health professionals toward envenomation management in Hamer wereda, South Omo, Ethiopia

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Background Snakebite is a neglected tropical disease that poses a public health concern for low-income rural population in many tropical and subtropical countries. In the Hamer wereda of Ethiopia, snakebite envenomation creates a significant public health challenge. This is largely attributable to community’s pastoralist lifestyle, which necessitates frequent mobility across rural landscapes and increases exposure to snake habitats. Objectives To quantify burden of snakebite and knowledge of health professionals’ in snakebite envenomation management, and provide contextual evidence to inform preventive strategies in Hamer wereda, Ethiopia. Methodology A cross-sectional study design was employed to collect data through structured interviews with health professionals and a review of snakebite case records in health facilities. Results The majority of health professionals 73/75 (97.3%) had never experienced any kind of formal training on snakebite management. Of the health professionals surveyed, 48.0% reported their health facilities treated an estimated 5 to 20 snakebite cases annually. A higher proportion of snakebite cases (41.3%) occurred during the rainy season. The most suspected occupations of snakebite victims were farmers (52.0%) and herders (41.3%), who were between the ages of 15 and 60 years (74.7%). The common clinical manifestations of snakebites are neurotoxicity (30.7%), hemotoxicity (30.7%), and local tissue damage (38.7%). The lack of antivenom (65.3%) and delays in patient presentation (61.3%) were identified as the most significant challenges to snakebite management. There were high mortality rates from snakebites, with 66.7% of health facilities reporting deaths due to snakebites over a five-year period, primarily related to delays in seeking medical care (44.0%) and prior visits to traditional healers (32.0%). The total snakebite burden for the period of five years was 551.22 DALYs. While antivenom was available in the facilities, most of it was sourced from donations (74.7%) and was insufficient, with shortages reported in 81.7% of health facilities. Approximately 61.3% of all professionals reported that their communities were uninformed about snakebites; with 69.3% of health facilities did not provide snakebite education. Conclusion Snakebite is an occupational risk factor associated with high mortality that is driven by systemic barriers, including antivenom shortages, substantial treatment delays, and critically low levels of knowledge regarding snakebite management and community awareness.

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