The Senate has called for the mandatory stocking of antivenoms and other life-saving antidotes in hospitals across Nigeria, following public outrage over the death of an Abuja-based singer who reportedly could not access timely treatment after a snakebite.

The resolution was taken on Tuesday after lawmakers adopted 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.”

The motion was triggered by the tragic death of Ifunanya Nwangene, a rising singer in Abuja, whose passing sparked widespread concern after reports claimed she was turned away from hospitals due to the absence of antivenom. Her death was confirmed by her choir in a Facebook statement over the weekend.

Raising the motion, Senator Adebule said Nigeria continues to witness a growing number of medical emergencies, such as snakebites, scorpion stings, poisoning, and drug overdoses, that require immediate access to specific antidotes.

“These emergencies demand prompt treatment. Unfortunately, systemic gaps in hospital preparedness are costing lives,” she said.

She described Nwangene’s death as tragic and avoidable, noting that it exposed serious deficiencies in both public and private healthcare facilities. She also referenced the World Health Organisation’s classification of snakebite envenoming as a neglected tropical disease, stressing the need for timely access to effective antivenoms, especially in countries like Nigeria.

Lawmakers expressed concern that many hospitals either do not stock essential antidotes or maintain insufficient quantities, forcing victims to move between facilities during the critical “golden hour,” often with fatal consequences.

Following the debate, the Senate urged the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, in collaboration with NAFDAC, to ensure the procurement, quality control, proper storage, and nationwide availability of antivenoms and other critical antidotes, particularly in high-risk areas.

The Senate also called on state governments and the FCT Administration to audit hospitals for compliance with emergency preparedness standards, and directed health regulatory bodies to make antidote stocking a mandatory requirement for hospital licensing and accreditation.

In addition, lawmakers asked the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to strengthen the National Building Code by making Non-Return Valves mandatory in buildings, to prevent snakes and rodents from entering homes through drainage systems.

During the session, the Senate observed a minute of silence in honour of the late Ifunanya Nwangene.