I preserving lives
VIVARIUM FOUNDATION
SNAKEBITE CRISIS IN VENEZUELA
Every year, more than 7,000 people are bitten by venomous snakes in Venezuela. But the country produces only about 5,000 antivenom kits, even though at least two are needed for each patient. The math is simple: there aren’t enough antidotes… and people die or are left with preventable sequelae.
What's filling that gap?
To cope with the shortage, many patients end up receiving imported antivenoms — sometimes even veterinary formulations. Specialists warn that these products can cause severe side effects in humans, including anaphylactic shock, due to different purity standards. But this is the reality faced by those who have no other option.
Another penalty of poverty
The lack of antivenom —and its high cost— often delays treatment. The result: amputations, permanent disabilities, and preventable deaths. That’s why many refer to snakebite as “another penalty of poverty.”
What fills the void?
Some of the antivenoms used in Venezuela are produced in other countries, and some of them, while cheap and attractive, are for veterinary use. Experts say veterinary products can have dangerous side effects when used on humans.
A problem recognized by the WHO
In 2017, the World Health Organization included snakebite envenoming on the list of Neglected Tropical Diseases (Category A). Venezuela remains the country that contributes the most to the continental burden of this crisis.
What the Vivarium Foundation Does
We are a non-profit organization dedicated to: environmental education; wildlife rescue; prevention of snakebite incidents; informed support, guidance, and accompaniment for victims and medical professionals; and the development of a Venom Bank (project in progress). We work to connect the problem with the solution and reduce the impact of snakebite on vulnerable communities.
The problem of snakebite in Venezuela does have a solution
The response exists, and it is clear: prevention, education, timely medical care, and access to antivenom. But none of this happens on its own. The Vivarium Foundation delivers free educational programs to schools and rural communities to reduce morbidity: we teach how to prevent accidents, how to act correctly, and how to identify risks in the environment.
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