About Eswatini Anitvenom Foundation

The Eswatini Antivenom  Foundation was set up to provide “hope and cures for snakebite victims in Eswatini”. Donations allow the purchase of polyvalent antivenom which can be used to treat bites from the most regularly encountered species in Swaziland (now known as Eswatini). Namely, the black mamba and Mozambican spitting cobra.

Donations are also used to purchase other medical supplies essential for the treatment of snakebites. Each vial of antivenom costs £87 ($108).

Our organisation has established 15 emergency banks of antivenom which we supply free of charge to snakebite victims throughout the country, within 2 hours.

Antivenom is very expensive and unaffordable for the majority of people in Eswatini. The cost to treat one Mozambique spitting cobra victim is approximately £1305.00 $1620 and a Black mamba bite £870 ($1,080), approximately 1.5 year’s salary for many people. With a Black mamba bite, paralysis can occur within 45 minutes and in Eswatini there are limited hospitals with an ICU, that has life support equipment.

As well as providing free antivenom, the foundation visits schools, communities, companies and hospitals to educate people on the correct first-aid and medical treatment of snake bites. There is a desperate need to increase people’s knowledge of snakes. Everyone needs to be able to identify and differentiate between venomous and non-venomous snakes. Additionally, they must know what to do should they encounter a venomous snake.

The foundation also provides free emergency call outs to people who need snakes removed from their property. Snakes are commonly found at school, homes and sugar cane plantations. All the snakes that the foundation relocates are relocated away from human habitation. In a typical year we relocate hundreds of snakes.