The Benue State House of Assembly has passed a bill providing free treatment for snakebite victims in government hospitals across the state
The bill was passed Friday during plenary after scaling through its third reading
The sitting was presided over by the Speaker, Berger Alfred Emberga
The passage followed a public hearing held earlier where stakeholders in the health sector highlighted the importance of making snakebite treatment accessible to victims, particularly farmers and rural dwellers
Chairman of the House Standing Committee on Health and Human Services, Dr Matthew Damkor, representing Tiev State Constituency, while speaking on the bill, noted that snakebite remained a serious but often neglected public health challenge in rural communities
Damkor said the law would remove financial barriers that prevent victims from seeking prompt medical attention and provide a structured response to snakebite incidents
On his part, the Speaker of the House described the legislation as timely, stressing that snakebite incidents posed serious challenges to rural communities, particularly farmers who frequently come in contact with snakes while working on farms
Our correspondent reports that with the passage of the bill and expected accentuation by the State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, indigent victims of snakebite in the state would no longer be left alone to their fate or die for lack of not being able to afford treatment
Recall that former Governor Samuel Ortom made provision for treatment of victims at Bishop Murray hospital in Makurdi before and during his tenure