By Muhammad Mamman
The upper chamber also urged the federal government to pursue a constitutional amendment to review the revenue allocation formula in favour of increased federal revenue share.
The resolutions were adopted on Tuesday during plenary, following a motion sponsored by Senator Idiat Oluranti Adebule (APC, Lagos West) titled “Urgent Need for the Federal and State Governments to Ensure Adequate Stocking, Availability and Access to Life-Saving Antidotes and Emergency Medicines in Public and Private Hospitals Across Nigeria”.
Senator Adebule drew the Senate’s attention to the tragic death of Ifunanya Nwangene (popularly known as Nanyah), who succumbed to a snakebite at her residence in Abuja after delays in accessing appropriate treatment, reportedly due to the unavailability of anti-venom in nearby facilities.
She expressed concern that many hospitals nationwide either fail to stock essential antidotes such as anti-venoms, anti-toxins and other emergency medicines or maintain insufficient quantities, resulting in treatment delays, repeated patient referrals and preventable fatalities.
The lawmaker cited Sections 14(2)(b) and 17(3)(d) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which place a duty on government to ensure the welfare and security of citizens, including access to adequate medical facilities.
In its resolutions, the Senate urged the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, in collaboration with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), to:
• Develop and enforce national guidelines prescribing minimum stock levels of essential antidotes and emergency medicines in designated hospitals
• Ensure procurement, quality assurance, proper storage and nationwide availability of safe, effective and affordable anti-venoms and critical antidotes, with priority to high-risk regions
• Make the stocking of essential antidotes a mandatory condition for the licensing, registration and renewal of accreditation of private hospitals
The chamber also called on state governments and the Federal Capital Territory Administration to audit hospitals for compliance, establish coordinated emergency referral and response systems, and make adequate budgetary provisions for public hospitals.
Additionally, the Senate directed the Federal Ministry of Information, working with the National Orientation Agency, to launch nationwide sensitisation campaigns on the dangers of delaying treatment for snakebites, poisoning and other envenomation cases.
In a separate but concurrent development during the same session, the Senate initiated steps to amend relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution to enable an upward review of the current revenue allocation formula. Under the existing arrangement, the federal government receives approximately 52.68 percent of federally collected revenue, with states and local governments sharing the remainder. The move seeks to increase the federal share amid ongoing debates over fiscal federalism and national funding needs.
No immediate timeline was given for the constitutional review process, which would require approval by a two-thirds majority in both chambers of the National Assembly and endorsement by at least two-thirds of state assemblies.
