South Sudan: Snakebite survivor tackles health promotion

Snakebite envenoming has the highest mortality of all neglected tropical diseases. Every year in South Sudan, MSF teams hospitalise many patients suffering from snakebite between May and October, an increasingly risky period due to climate change-related events like floods and heavy rains.

Noon Makor Arop has been working with MSF since 2019, but became a snakebite patient in 2021. Since then, he has been promoting awareness about snakebite prevention and treatment as a health promotion and community engagement supervisor in Abyei. He marked the recent World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day by sharing his story.

I have personal experience with snakebites, having been bitten in May 2021. It happened while I was on my way home from the market at 8 pm. I didn't realise it was a snake initially, but I soon felt pain and swelling in the bite area.

I rushed to the hospital where my colleagues from MSF have been working, and I was treated with antivenom, and I recovered and was discharged.

In my role as a health promoter actively working to raise awareness about the danger of snakebites, I have encountered many patients suffering from snakebites both in hospital and in the community. Some of them have undergone serious surgeries because they arrived late at the hospital, often due to their reliance on traditional treatment methods.

In South Sudan, snakebite is a severe and often fatal health issue that is considered a neglected medical emergency. This situation is exacerbated by extreme environmental conditions and a fragile healthcare system. Snakebite is frequently among the top ten reasons for hospitalisation across South Sudan, putting lives at risk. In 2025 alone, MSF treated 197 patients for snakebites in just two hospitals in two areas, including Abyei where I work.

In rural areas, health facilities often do not have high-quality antivenom, which is frequently unavailable or prohibitively expensive. For example, in Abyei, antivenom can only be found at Ameth Bek Referral Hospital, by the support of MSF teams. As a result, many patients miss the ‘Golden Hour’, which is critical for effective treatment. Additionally, many patients lack access to transportation and live far from hospitals.

Traditional healers often attempt to bridge this gap. Their methods such as cutting the wound or applying ‘black stones’ often worsen the injury, and waste precious time that could be used to save lives. And environmental changes, such as flooding and climate shocks, are forcing snakes into closer contact with human habitats.

On World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day [30 January], I want my words to reach as many people as possible who may read my message. We should avoid relying on traditional remedies for snakebites because they can cause delays [unnecessarily]. It is a matter of life or death, and so lifesaving conventional treatments and only immediate access to safe, effective, and affordable antivenom can prevent death and severe disability.

As a health promoter, I would give the following tips for those who might fall victim to being bitten by a snake:

To avoid a snakebite:

• Use light at night.
• Wear closed shoes especially on high grass.
• If you see a snake, stay calm and move away.

In case of snakebite:

• Stay calm, avoid fast motion movement to slow venom spread.
• Remove jewellery or tight clothing before swelling occurs.
• Immobilise the injured limb with a splint or sling, keeping it at or below heart level.
• Get the victim to a health facility quickly.
• Do not use a tourniquet; it can cause limb loss.
• Avoid cutting, sucking, or icing the wound.
• Do not attempt to catch or kill the snake for identification.

Stay safe and always well.

The World Health Organization estimates that 5.4 million people are bitten by snakes every year. Around 138,000 people die annually as a result, while nearly three times as many survivors are left with permanent disabilities, including limb loss and long-term physical and psychological consequences. Globally, MSF teams treat around 8,000 snakebite patients each year. Strengthening routine health services would allow patients to access care earlier and reduce the burden on overstretched referral hospitals. Snakebite deaths and disabilities are largely preventable. What is missing is not the knowledge or the tools, but the political commitment and sustained investment to act now.