Tulfo calls for cobra antivenom supply in rural PH

Senator Raffy Tulfo expressed concern over the lack of cobra antivenom supply in rural areas during a privilege speech on Monday, highlighting cases where farmers and children have died due to snakebites.

Tulfo noted that only the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) produces and distributes the Purified Cobra Antivenom (PCAV), necessitating victims from provinces to travel to Metro Manila for treatment.

He cited a 2022 study showing about 13,377 snakebite cases per year in the Philippines, resulting in 550 deaths annually, emphasizing the need for local studies and surveys on this issue.

Tulfo highlighted recent incidents where farmers died due to lack of antivenom supply and a three-year-old child's death from a king cobra bite in Catarman, Northern Samar.

The senator urged creating an antivenom bank in regional hospitals and prioritizing funding for research on snakebite health impacts, noting the need to address this public health concern beyond urban areas.