Standup9ja: U.S.-based health official advises farmers not
to suck snakebite spots
A U.S.-based Nurse, Alloysius Nlekwa, has advised farmers
not to suck the spots where they were bitten by snakes while on their farms.
Nlekwa gave the advice on Tuesday in Abakaliki while
delivering a lecture at a seminar on “Health and Environmental Management’’.
The seminar was organised for farmers by the Ebonyi Office
of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Assisted Value
Chain Development Programme (VCDP).
According to Nlekwa, the same measure should be applied when
farmers are bitten or stung by scorpions and other creatures while on their
farms.
“We want to correct the widely-held misconception that
sucking the affected spots to extract the venom would stop its circulation
inside the victim’s body rather it will worsen the situation.
“A farmer bitten on the hand for instance, should lower it
to stop the venom from getting to the heart region, then thoroughly clean and
wrap the affected spot with a neat cloth.
“The victim should then proceed to the hospital and inform
the doctor the type of snake which bit him for prescription of the suitable
anti-venom therapy or drug,’’ he said.
The IFAD–VCDP consultant also warned farmers not to apply
oil or herbs on snake-bite spots because it would worsen their conditions.
“Farmers suffering from epilepsy should not go to the farm
alone, to get immediate assistance in cases of sudden seizures.
“The level of modern health equipment in the U.S. for
instance, cannot be compared with those in Nigeria and other developing
countries which made us to stress on enlightenment to correct prevailing
misconceptions.
“We also enlighten farmers on general health and
environmental management and how to prevent and handle ailments such as
malaria, diabetes and cancer among others,’’ he said.
Mr Sunday Ituma, the IFAD-VCDP Project Coordinator in
Ebonyi, noted that farmers were represented at the seminar by leaders of their
cluster groups and various organisations.
“We have over 500 farmers’ organisations in the state and it
will be difficult to bring all of them together to organise such a seminar.
“The group leaders are then expected to enlighten their various
group members to ensure that the state has a healthy and productive farming
population,’’ he said.
Mrs Francisca Anya, the project’s Rural Institution, Youth
and Gender Mainstream Officer in the state, urged the participants to
effectively utilise the tutorials received from the seminar.
“We want our farmers to increase their production capacities
and there is no way this will be achieved if they are not healthy,’’ she said.
Mr Julius Okoro, a participant, commended IFAD-VCDP for
organising the seminar and pledged to adequately practicalise the knowledge
gained from it. (NAN)
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