Residents of Kambiti in Makuyu lower Murang’a have decried constant snake attacks which have infested the area.
The relatively dry area has seen a majority of residents abandon farming and the thickets become a perfect hideout for the reptiles.
Scholastica Ndunge, one of the victims said she was bitten by a snake on her leg in her home compound and it disappeared into the bushes.
“I felt a sharp pain that felt as if I was pricked with a needle. I thought it was a thorn because I had not seen the snake,” Ndunge said.
“Barely a minute after, my leg started feeling numb and became swollen. I could barely walk, and within minutes, I passed out,” she added.
She was lucky to have been rushed to the hospital in good time and medics saved her life.
Justus Ndunda another victim said a snake attacked him as he was preparing to go to bed.
Just like Ndunge, he felt a sharp pain in his hand and after checking he saw the snake slithering away under the bed.
He called one of his relatives who rushed him to the hospital and he was given an antidote.
Fortunately, the snake that bit him was not very poisonous and the venom had not taken a toll on him.
Paul Charo also tells of a similar incident where he was attacked by a snake on the farm. He was bitten on the leg and felt numb a few seconds later.
He was fortunate that he had a rope that he tied slightly above the bite to stop the poison from spreading to the rest of the body.
The residents know the types of snakes in the area, the most poisonous ones and the less toxic and can also tell their type by the way they hiss.
They have also adopted skills to help them manage the snake bites before they get to a hospital for treatment.
James Nzioka says tying a rope or string tightly above the bite mark helps prevent the spread of the venom into the blood system, he also claims that applying raw onion can help suck out the poison.
“There is also a special black stone sold which is used to suck out the poison but not all people have it,” he said.
The residents have however lamented that none of the health facilities within the area has stocked antidotes to cater for them whenever they are bitten by the snakes.
Nzioka said they are forced to go to Machakos or Thika in Kiambu which is far away.
“Some snakes are so poisonous, if they bite you, you can die within two or three hours, some can go for more than 12 hours,” Nzioka remarked.
“We want the county government to stock the two facilities in the area with an antidote so that we can get access to medical attention,” he added.
