The Sunday News
Amanda Ncube, Sunday News Reporter
FOUR people were bitten by snakes in different cases in Matabeleland South last week while on amacimbi harvesting expeditions, although some villagers noted that at least 20 cases are reported per week as people expose themselves to snakes while harvesting the delicacy.
Matabeleland South provincial medical director Mrs Rudo Chikodzore said in an interview in the past week they have received four cases of snake bites.
“I can confirm that there are people who have been admitted to clinics and hospitals in Matabeleland South due to snake bites last week,” she said although she could not immediately link them to the harvesting of amacimbi.
“Snake bites are common during the rainy season. However, we cannot yet say that the cases are growing from the statistics that we have now,” she said.
Chief disease control officer in the Ministry of Health and Child Care Dr Portia Manangazira said the total snake bites for the month of January which were reported were 230.
She said there could be more as some people had stopped going to clinics because of the shortage of anti-venom.
Dr Manangazira said the ministry has in the past requested funding to train staff to manage snake bites as well as administer the anti-venom, but such funding remains elusive.
“So we have a situation whereby communities may not even visit clinics or hospitals with snake bites due to previous non-availability of a remedy. We do, however, still urge any snake bites to be urgently reported for the general or supportive care which can still be life saving even in the absence of the anti-venom, while we still try to mobilise resources to ensure that health care workers know how to correctly manage snake bite wounds, bleeding, shock and other signs and symptoms associated with snake bites.”
Sources from Gwanda District said most of the snake bites incidents were happening while people were harvesting amacimbi at a private property and the incidents were not reported.
Amacimbi have become the new gold especially in some parts of Gwanda and Kezi districts with scores of people flocking to the area to harvest the worms.
