Vaal Herpetological Association

26/10/2026

14/10/2026

Join us for the next free Zoom talk on Medically Important Venomous Snakes of Africa. Registration link below:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/beZtZeHQQxC6GRWO3IGdGQ

07/09/2026

🐍 HONOURED TO BE PART OF THE FACULTY AT THE FIRST MOZAMBIQUE SNAKEBITE SYMPOSIUM.

This week, we are excited to be heading to Maputo, Mozambique, where we have been invited to form part of the faculty presenting at the 1st International Emergency Medicine Symposium, with a dedicated focus on snakebite management.

Our contribution will focus on prehospital snakebite management, an area where the decisions made in the first minutes and hours after a bite can have a major impact on patient outcome.

We will be presenting alongside a highly experienced team of snake, spider and scorpion experts from South Africa, sharing practical, evidence-based approaches to the recognition and early management of envenomation.

The symposium brings together healthcare professionals, emergency care providers and subject matter experts to strengthen emergency care knowledge and improve the management of complex cases such as snakebite and scorpion envenomation.

For us, opportunities like this are about more than presenting. They are about sharing knowledge, challenging outdated practices, strengthening regional collaboration and ultimately improving patient care across Southern Africa.

We are proud to contribute to this important event and look forward to the discussions, learning and collaboration ahead.

📍 Southern Sun Hotel | Maputo, Mozambique
📅 9 to 10 September 2026

If you are still interested in attending the symposium, registrations are open.

👉 Register here: https://forms.gle/esp3qxCdhgcpAa62A

27/07/2026

🐍 ANTIVENOM CRISIS CONTINUES | POLYVALENT ANTIVENOM NOW DELAYED UNTIL 31 OCTOBER 2026 🚨

The South African Vaccine Producers (SAVP), a subsidiary of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), has released a new stakeholder communication regarding antivenom availability, and unfortunately the situation has worsened.

According to the latest update released today:

❌ Polyvalent Antivenom – Out of Stock. Expected availability: 31 October 2026
❌ Spider Antivenom – Out of Stock. Expected availability: 31 October 2026

✅ Boomslang Antivenom – Stock Available
✅ Echis Antivenom – Stock Available
✅ Scorpion Antivenom – Stock Available

This means South Africa is facing at least another three months without locally produced polyvalent antivenom, the primary antivenom used to treat severe envenomations from many of our most medically important snakes, including:

🐍 Black Mamba
🐍 Green Mamba
🐍 Cape Cobra
🐍 Forest Cobra
🐍 Snouted Cobra
🐍 Mozambique Spitting Cobra
🐍 Black Spitting Cobra
🐍 Rinkhals
🐍 Puff Adder
🐍 Gaboon Adder (where encountered)

⚠️ This should serve as a serious reminder to everyone working or living in snake-prone areas.

A severe bite from any species requiring polyvalent antivenom may now present an even greater challenge for healthcare providers due to the ongoing shortage.

It is important to note that Panafrican (PANAF) Polyvalent Antivenom has been shown to be an effective treatment option for many of the same medically important snake species treated with SAVP Polyvalent Antivenom. However, supplies of PANAF are limited in South Africa, meaning it cannot be relied upon as a guaranteed alternative during this shortage at all hospitals.

While some of the larger hospitals may still have stocks of SAVP or PANAF antivenom, availability varies considerably between facilities. Every effort should therefore be made to prevent snakebites, particularly over the coming months.

✔️ Wear appropriate PPE when working in long grass, rocky areas, or bushveld.
✔️ Never place your hands where you cannot see.
✔️ Keep workplaces and homes clear of rubbish and rodent activity that attracts snakes.
✔️ Ensure staff receive proper snake awareness and first aid training.
✔️ Have an emergency response plan in place before an incident occurs.
✔️ If a serious snakebite is suspected, seek emergency medical care immediately. Early supportive care, airway management, ventilation, and timely transport can be lifesaving, even when antivenom availability is limited.

We sincerely appreciate the continued efforts of the teams at SAVP and NHLS, who are working to restore production of these life-saving medicines. Manufacturing antivenom is a highly specialised process, and while these delays are frustrating, maintaining the highest quality and safety standards remains essential.

We will continue to share verified updates as they become available.

30/06/2026

☕ Honoured to be joining the EpicEM team this Thursday for Coffee & Cases to discuss one of the most challenging emergencies we encounter in prehospital and emergency care... snakebite.

Snakebite patients rarely arrive with a label telling us what's going to happen next.

Some walk into a clinic looking well and deteriorate rapidly hours later. Others present with dramatic local symptoms but never develop life-threatening envenomation. The challenge is knowing which is which, and making the right decisions before the patient reaches definitive care.

This week, together with the incredible team at EpicEM, we'll be exploring real snakebite cases, discussing common pitfalls in management, and looking at the practical decision-making process that influences patient outcomes long before they reach hospital.

As someone who has spent nearly two decades working in emergency medicine and has been involved in snakebite education, research, and protocol development across Southern Africa, I'm looking forward to sharing lessons learned from the field and engaging with healthcare professionals from across the country.

Whether you're a Paramedic, Emergency Care Practitioner, Nurse, Doctor, Student, or simply interested in emergency medicine, I believe you'll leave with practical knowledge that can be applied on your very next patient.

📅 Thursday, 2 July 2026
⏰ 09:00 SAST
🎙️ Hosted by the EpicEM Team
👨‍⚕️ Guest Presenter: Nick van der Walt

✅ FREE to attend
✅ CPD Accredited
✅ Live Q&A
✅ Open to all healthcare professionals

👉 Link for the session: 7ebad8cb-2b15-449d-8264-59ffc8bf25cd@17f60551-d0e0-4adb-81f9-9424c66f6e3f" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/7ebad8cb-2b15-449d-8264-59ffc8bf25cd@17f60551-d0e0-4adb-81f9-9424c66f6e3f

A huge thank you to the EpicEM team for the invitation. Looking forward to an engaging discussion and seeing many of you online.

Tag a colleague who works in emergency medicine, emergency nursing, critical care, toxicology, or EMS and invite them to join us.

🐍🚑☕

02/06/2026

🐍 ANTIVENOM UPDATE FOR SOUTH AFRICA | SAVP RELEASES LATEST PRODUCTION TIMELINE 🏥

The South African Vaccine Producers (SAVP), a subsidiary of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), has released an updated statement regarding the availability and expected release dates of several critical antivenom products.

This is encouraging news for healthcare providers, emergency responders, conservation personnel, snake handlers, and communities living in high-risk snakebite areas across South Africa.

According to the latest update:

✅ Boomslang Antivenom – Stock Available
✅ Echis Antivenom – Stock Available
🦂 Scorpion Antivenom – 717 units expected for release on 19 June 2026
🐍 Polyvalent Antivenom – 1,300 units expected for release on 15 July 2026
🕷️ Spider Antivenom – Expected release on 30 July 2026

The anticipated release of additional Polyvalent Antivenom is particularly important, as this product is used in the treatment of severe envenomations from several medically significant South African snake species, including mambas, cobras, rinkhals, puff adders, and others.

While antivenom remains a critical component of managing serious envenomations, prevention remains the most effective treatment.

✔️ Wear appropriate PPE when working outdoors
✔️ Ensure emergency response plans are in place
✔️ Train staff working in high-risk environments
✔️ Seek immediate medical care following a suspected serious snakebite

We will continue to share updates as they become available.

A sincere thank you to the teams at SAVP and NHLS who continue working behind the scenes to ensure these life-saving products remain available to South Africans who need them most.

🐍🏥

29/05/2026

🐍 Quick question...

When was the last time you inspected your workplace for snake hazards?

Not snake sightings.

Snake hazards.

There’s a big difference.

Most companies wait until someone sees a snake before taking action.

By then, the risk has already become real.

The smarter question is:

👉 If you were a snake, where would you hide on your site?

Tall grass?
Under pallets?
Around drainage systems?
Behind stored materials?

You may be surprised by what you find!

Read the full article:
https://accesspd.co.za/blog/workplace-snake-hazards-how-to-identify-snake-risks-on-your-site