Teenage boy loses leg after venomous puff adder bite during family meal in Kenyan coastal village

What started as an ordinary outdoor meal in a quiet Kenyan village quickly turned into a nightmare for 14-year-old Shukurani Konde Tuva.

Bitten by a puff adder—one of Africa’s deadliest snakes—Shukurani is now facing the heartbreaking reality of losing his leg above the knee.

His story is a grim reflection of the devastating impact snakebites continue to have in rural parts of Africa, where access to effective medical care remains a serious challenge.

A Deadly Bite and a Desperate Race Against Time

Shukurani was eating outside his home near Malindi, a coastal town in Kenya, when the snake struck.

With no nearby medical facility equipped for such emergencies, his family rushed him to a hospital over two hours away—on a motorbike.

Sadly, despite receiving antivenom, the treatment didn’t work.

By the time they arrived, his leg was in such bad condition that doctors had no choice but to prepare for amputation.

His mother, Mariamu Kenga Kalume, heartbroken and overwhelmed, shared, “My son’s leg is completely rotten. Maggots are coming out. There’s no option—they’ll have to cut it off.”

The Bigger Picture: Snakebites Are a Global Health Crisis

According to the World Health Organization, around 5.4 million people suffer snakebites each year, with nearly half being envenomed.

Of those, as many as 138,000 die, and another 400,000 are left with permanent disabilities like limb loss or paralysis.

But experts believe the real numbers are even higher, since many cases go unreported—especially in remote areas where people often rely on traditional healing methods rather than hospitals.

Traditional Beliefs Still Influence Critical Decisions

In the same region where Shukurani was bitten, traditional healer Douglas Rama Bajila continues to treat snakebites using age-old remedies.

One of the most commonly used tools is the “snake stone,” crafted from a cow bone and believed to draw out venom.

It’s inexpensive and reusable—just soak it in milk to “recharge” it.

Shukurani’s family even tried using one on his leg during their journey to the hospital, but it fell off.

These traditional treatments, while deeply rooted in culture, often delay life-saving medical interventions. Antivenom is costly—about $62 per vial—and many patients need multiple doses.

With no national health coverage for such emergencies, people are often left to choose between folklore and unaffordable modern medicine.

Lives Lost and Changed Forever

Ruth Kintalel knows the toll snakebites can take. Bitten by a red spitting cobra while sleeping in her home in Kajiado County, near Nairobi, she spent over five months in the hospital.

Her husband had to sell their livestock to cover the mounting bills. Today, seven years later, she still can’t use her right arm.

The Antivenom Shortage Is a Major Roadblock

Kenya only receives between 10,000 to 30,000 vials of antivenom each year—far below the 100,000 experts say is needed.

Worse still, much of the supply is imported from places like India, which don’t always match the venom types found in East Africa.

This mismatch can cause severe allergic reactions and render treatment ineffective.

Kyle Buster Ray, a snake expert at the Watamu Snake Farm, explained that using venom from different regions to make antivenom is risky.

His farm is trying to rebuild trust by offering locally matched antivenom for free in urgent cases—but their supply is limited.

A Community Living in Constant Fear

The Watamu Snake Farm also educates local communities on snakebite awareness and emergency response.

In one recent training session, half the attendees revealed they’d been bitten at least once, and most admitted they initially relied on traditional remedies.

Many showed visible signs of long-term damage—from paralysis to vision loss.

Science Is Trying to Catch Up—But Not Fast Enough

In Nairobi, researchers at the Snakebite Research and Intervention Centre are working on a Kenya-specific antivenom designed to be highly effective across multiple snake species.

The goal is to create a potent formula that works with just one vial per patient, which would be more affordable and accessible.

However, this innovation is still two years away from being available.

For Shukurani, It’s Already Too Late

As scientists race to find better solutions, children like Shukurani are already paying the price.

Beyond the physical loss of his leg, the psychological trauma of watching his limb deteriorate will leave scars that last a lifetime.

“There’s a lot of mental trauma,” Ray noted. “You can’t unsee what happens when your own body starts to rot away.”

A Call for Urgent Action

This isn’t just one boy’s story—it’s the story of thousands across Africa and the world who are left vulnerable by a healthcare gap that still hasn’t been filled.

Without better access to effective antivenom, education, and affordable treatment, tragedies like Shukurani’s will continue.

And while science is trying to catch up, time is running out for many.