Abstract:
Background: A snake bite is an injury caused by a bite from a snake, often resulting in puncture wounds, amputations
and sometimes envenomation. Envenoming resulting from snake bite is a particularly important public health
problem in rural areas of tropical and sub-tropical countries in Africa. This paper reports the incidence of snake
bites and its associated mortality in the Western Region of Ghana.
Method: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional review of 2006 - 2010 snake bite secondary data generated by
the Western Regional Health Information Office in Ghana. Data was extracted from the District Health Information
Management System (DHIMS) database. Data was managed and analyzed using SPSS Version 16.0. Univariate
analyses were expressed as percentages and graphs.
Results: The year 2009 recorded the highest incidence of Snake bites in the Western Region with Juabeso district
recording the highest incidence of snake bites over the study period. Over the period about 55% of the incidence was
between 50 – 100 per 100,000 population. The total number of snake bites recorded in the region for the period was
7,275, of which 52% (3,776) were males. About 60% of the patients were of the age group 15-49 years. A total of
12 reported snake bite deaths were recorded, of which 67% were men. This study recommends to the Districts
Health Directorates in the Western Region to regularly organize community education on snake bite and the use of
protective clothing by the farmers.