Venomous Reality: The Baringo snakebite crisis that is taking lives

Residents display a snake they had just killed along the roadside upon our arrival in Poi, Baringo North, on March 12, 2025. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard] On the evening of Friday, February 7, the bell at Kapkoiwo Primary School in Baringo North rang, releasing learners from the confines of their classrooms and ushering in the boundless possibilities of a weekend, a weekend that would remain stark in a long time. Like the two halves of a whole, nine-year-old twins Victor Ruto and Vicky, inseparable as always, rushed out of their classroom, school bags bouncing off their shoulders in a near-telepathic move. Perhaps, if they knew what awaited them in a few hours, Victor might have lingered longer with his twin at school, skipping rope, or even stayed home to help their mother do dishes. But they did not. They rushed home to shed off their school uniform and sped off to the grazing fields to play under their favourite mango tree, since it was the mango season. But as fate would have it, Victor's life was hanging by a thread. He would soon be part of the growing statistics of lives cut short by the silent strikes of venomous snakes in Baringo County. "It is sad. Victor died on a Friday. They were playing just under this mango tree when he dashed to the bush over there to answer the call of nature. Unfortunately, he laid his hand on a black mamba, which bit him," Richard Ruto, Victor's father, said. READ: Medic: Number of snake bite cases increasing in Baringo Given that the majority of the residents, including children like Vicky, are still unaware of how to respond to snake bites, she led her brother home to take a nap as they waited for their parents to return home from their daily hustles. But black mamba's venom can kill within 20 minutes. The black mamba is ranked among the most venomous snakes. The snake is found in sub-Saharan Africa, and is one of the most feared of snakes. Its venom contains neurotoxins that disrupt the nervous system, leading to paralysis and other life-threatening symptoms. Without urgent treatment, a black mamba bite can be fatal within 20 minutes to a few hours. A black mamba's venom acts with terrifying speed. Within ten minutes, victims exhibit slurred speech and muscle twitches, and death can occur in as little as thirty minutes. Victor's headache surfaced almost immediately after the bite, and Vicky's instinct was to get him home. But a neighbor's timely inquiry revealed the severity of the situation, launching a frantic search for immediate medical care. However, in Kapkoiwo village, just like many other parts of Poi location, mobile phone network connectivity remains a mirage. The neighbor could neither reach his parents nor contact a motorbike rider for emergency response. Joan Cheptoo and Richard Ruto stand beside the grave of their son, Victor Ruto, who died from a snakebite at Kapkoiwo village in Poi, Baringo North, on March 12, 2025. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard] Meanwhile, the clock was ticking away. The nearest health facility, Poi health center, is four kilometers away from Kapkoiwo village and it remained closed as the only nurse who operated it had ended the shift for the day. The facility only has one nurse and a subordinate staff member, who both operate between 8 am and 5 pm on weekdays, serving a population of 3,700 people within its catchment. The facility remains closed over the weekend and when the nurse is on annual leave. "It is a sad situation. In case of emergencies, and Poi health center is closed, the patient has to be rushed to Kipsaraman, which is 11 kilometers away. Given the bad terrain, a patient might take another 45 minutes to get to Kipsaraman," Andrew Talam, the chairperson of the health facility said. Although Talam admitted that antivenom can be found at Poi dispensary, which could have saved the life of Victor, there was no one to dispense the drug as a result of the broken health system that has resulted in poor staffing in critical areas like Poi. "Unfortunately, even the facility ambulance was stalled and could not help at the time that was needed the most," Talam said. In January 2023, the county government provided the facility with an ambulance, intended for emergencies like snakebites and urgent maternal cases that require referrals. However, the old Range Rover broke down a year later due to extensive mechanical issues, tand since remained out of service at the County headquarters, awaiting repair. This situation, Talam lamented, is sadly leading to ongoing suffering for those in need. In a culmination of systemic failures coupled with a lack of swift responses, Victor lost his life while being taken to the hospital at Kipsaraman. "He died before he got to Kipsaraman. He was only nine," Joan Cheptoo, the deceased's mother, narrated, eyes fixed on the tiny grave as she moved about the dried flowers that crumbled at the slightest touch. By the time The Standard team visited the homestead, Vicky and her siblings had already returned to the stark routines of school, yet the solitary mound of earth where Victor lay remained isolated with a story far too heavy for its size. But the sad stories of snake bites are not isolated in Baringo County. Victor is just one of the 41 cases of snake bites that had been documented within the county this year by the time of filing the story. Poi Dispensary in Baringo County, pictured on March 12, 2025. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard] The shadow of snakebites stretches beyond Kapkoiwo. ALSO READ: No help for bite victims as deadly snakes run riot In the neighboring village of Kabarsita, graves remain a stark reminder. Just as Victor's life was tragically cut short, so was Nicholas Kipruto, who, at nine years old, succumbed to a snakebite on December 6, 2017. His death, a cruel blow just days before Christmas, extinguished the bright anticipation of a child eagerly awaiting the holiday. Nicholas was looking after the cows when he was bitten by a snake, but died while he was being rushed to Kabartonjo for medication. A mere fifty meters across the fence, the village elder, Amos Limo, carries his silent burden. Within his homestead, a weathered mound marked the resting place of his firstborn daughter, Julia Chongwe. Her story, a replica of Victor and Nicholas, ended in 1994, in a landscape where danger lurks unseen. "The snakes are everywhere, in mango trees, on bananas, on fences, and even in houses. We only do not know when they strike," Limo said. Each year, a chilling tally of over 400 people fell prey to the silent strike of snakes in Baringo County. This venomous siege has left a trail of deaths and devastation across remote villages. Between 2022 and March 2025, 1,393 cases of snake bites were recorded within the county. The county bore the highest snake burden in 2022, with 570 cases, followed by 2024 when 404 cases were documented. In 2023, 378 cases were recorded. By mid-March this year, the county had recorded 41 cases.Tiaty East and Baringo Central, and Tiaty West sub-counties record the highest cases of snakebites in the County. Between 2022 and 2025, 379 cases were recorded in Tiaty East, while 332 cases were recorded in Baringo Central and 204 in Tiaty West. During the same period, 170 cases were recorded in Koibatek, 138 in Marigat, 97 in Baringo North, and 71 in Mogotio Sub-counties. While some health facilities stock the life-saving antivenom, understaffing and lack of emergency responses continue to make life a desperate struggle for the residents. Many lives have slipped away, and those who cling to survival are marked with the cruel legacy of crippling disabilities. Some, like Anthony Kandie, who was bitten before Victor was interred, are among the survivors who lived, not only to tell the horror stories of snake bites but also to bear the financial burden. "I stepped on the snake just at the door as I was getting into the house in the evening, but was lucky to have been rushed to the hospital on time," Kandie said. Treating a venomous snakebite can be very expensive, as each vial of antivenom costs between Sh10,000 and Sh15,000, and patients may require as many as five vials. Lack of compensation... In 2019, the Kenya Wildlife Service ceased compensating victims of snake bites, leaving them to bear the full weight of their suffering despite the growing burden in the region. KWS struck out on snake compensation, citing the high number of claims. By 2019, KWS noted that compensation claims for venomous snakebites accounted for 81 percent of all human-wildlife conflict claims under the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act (2013). The burden led to the removal of snakes from the list of species for which compensation is eligible, aggravating an already very devastating problem. Despite attempts to restore snakebite compensation, notably through the Wildlife Conservation and Management (Amendment) Bill, 2020 that originated from the Senate, the National Assembly raised procedural issues regarding the appropriate legislative channels. Desperate families of snake bite victims have approached KWS offices seeking financial aid for hospital and funeral expenditures; however, their requests have been unsuccessful. "After Victor died, we visited the KWS offices in Kabarnet to report and seek help, but we were told that they no longer compensate for snake bites. As a family that struggles to make ends meet, it is so sad to lose a young boy whose dreams were cut short without any support," Cheptoo, Victor's mother said. She said coupled with a lack of support from the government, the slow response and lack of infrastructure and resources in hotspot areas makes lives difficult for families who constantly live in fear. "Being a hotspot area where snakes strike anytime, the government should have stepped in to put in place emergency responses, or equipped the health facilities to handle these cases, given that they no longer offer compensation. There is no support at all, and it is a constant worry," Cheptoo said. While families of the latest victims of snakebites are hanging on hope for legislative changes to reintroduce compensation for snakebite victims, especially in areas with high snake burdens like Samburu, Kajiado, Kilifi, Kwale, Baringo, and Taita Taveta Counties, others like Nicholas' father, Sammy Kaptum are almost losing hope. Although Nicholas died in 2017, a time when snake bite victims were still being compensated, he has been making frantic follow-ups from both KWS and the Ministry of Wildlife offices. "For years, since 2018, we have been selling livestock to afford my travel and accommodation in Nairobi for these follow-ups. Despite this sacrifice, there is no progress, and my family now suspects I have received payment, which is untrue," Kaptum said. His case is similar to that of Mr Limo, who has since stopped following up on the compensation case of the child who died 30 years ago. "It is demoralizing. We keep losing people to snakebites, and it seems there is no progress at all on compensation," he said. Sammy Kaptum displays a photo of his late son, Nicholas Kipruto, who succumbed to a snakebite at the age of nine on December 6, 2017. Taken at his home in Kabarsita village, Poi, Baringo North, on March 12, 2025. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard] Saimo-Kipsaraman Ward Rep John Aengwo said that the situation in the area is severe, noting that the government should reintroduce snakebites into the list of compensable wildlife attacks, especially to victims who are left with permanent disabilities and to console families who lost their loved ones. "A blanket dismissal of snakebite compensation is unfair. Individual cases of fatal attacks and permanent injuries demand consideration. Why does the government compensate victims of other wildlife like elephants, yet abandon those harmed or killed by snakes?" Aengwo questioned. Aengwo argued that the government could easily pinpoint the epicenter of snakebite suffering using the data generated from Counties to mark regions where compensation should be reviewed. ALSO READ: Shortage of antivenom in Baringo leave victims crying for medical aid He also warned of a lack of awareness by learners and residents on handling and responding to snake bites, saying that it demands immediate attention. Baringo County executive committee member for health, Dr Solomon Sirma acknowledged the high snakebite rate and confirmed the county has requested assistance from KWS in purchasing antivenom. "Baringo County is one of the Counties with a high snake bite burden. Many people continue to become victims of snakebites despite the removal of compensation for snake bites" Dr Sirma said. He added that, "We have written to the KWS to request them to help the County in stocking hospitals with antivenom since they no longer compensate snake bite victims. We are, however, hopeful that the compensation will be reinstated." Sirma added that the County has partnered with the Institute of Primate Research to expedite local antivenom research and production, as well as to train individuals for snakebite awareness campaigns. WHO estimates that almost 7400 people every day are bitten by snakes, of which an estimated 220-380 people die as a result, adding up to about 2.7 million cases of envenoming and 81,000-138,000 deaths a year. Even though local research indicates that snakebites are most prevalent during the dry season and at night, it's alarming that many health facilities in high-risk zones like Poi are not equipped to handle these emergencies around the clock, lacking both essential antivenom supplies and enough professionals.

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