jaat ten years on by royjan taylor - 2014

J.A.A.T.TEN YEARS ON.

The James Ashe AntivenomTrust

25th October 2014 - By Royjan Taylor Bio-Ken Snake Farm, Watamu

J.A.A.T.IS ALL ABOUT SAVING LIFE AND LIMB FROM SNAKEBITE

• To be bitten by a poisonous snake is everyone’s worst nightmare.

• Here in Africa this happens to people quite regularly especially to those in the rural communities.

The primary objective of the James Ashe Antivenom Trust(JAAT) is to reduce the number of deaths and maiming caused by those many snake snakebites.

SOME HISTORYHow it all began!• James Ashe and his

wife Sanda started Bio-Ken in Watamu in 1980.

• Bio-Ken Snake Farm was working more and more with poisonous snakes.

• Obviously they stocked their own antivenom in case of a handling accident.

Snakebite cases arrived for help that couldn’t be turned away so they were helped with antivenom if needed.

Poorest worst hit! Word spread fast through the local communities. More and more came for help.• But then! who

should pay for this treatment?

• Antivenom was, and still is, expensive and hard to come by.

• James and Sanda could not afford to cover these extra costs

The WatamuAntivenom Fund (W.A.F.) was born.

• Cash collected from a harambeeat local pub. This cash was kept in an ice-cream container.

• The hotels in Watamu supported the initiative.

• Cash given to visitor going to SA for antivenom purchase and brought back.

• Dr. Erulu was the Doctor on the ground who actually treated the patients.

• We were very quickly overwhelmed by snakebite. We had to think bigger.

It was suggested that a proper registered trust be formed to replace the W.A.F.• to attract more substantial

donations.

• set up a bank account for safe keeping of funds.

• to be and remain transparent for the revenue authorities and donors.

• to fight for good qualityantivenom and it’s availability.

• We were then joined by Melinda Rees and ShafiqEbrahimjee of Watamu and Professor David Warrel of Oxford University, and together we made up the five trustees.

That is when JAAT finally got it’s name• It was agreed by the

five Trustees in mid-2004 that it should be named after the man who started it all. Our great friend Jim.

• THE JAMES ASHE ANTIVENOM TRUSTor simply

JAAT.

James Ashe 1925 - 2004

• Sadly Jim died at the end of September 2004.

• The Trust was officially launched by us on the 1st of October 2004 during the Fourth Bio-Ken International Snakebite Seminar at HemingwaysResort in Watamu.

and so, the work goes on…

• Since the formation of the trust (JAAT), it has gained a huge amount of recognition.

• It now holds a reasonable stock of antivenom and has so far managed to sustain itself locally.

• But we need more funding.

Dama’s case – How it should be.

From Kathama – 60km from here towards Sala gate – Tsavo East NP.

So! What is the

answer?

EDUCATION At all levels

• From the children in the schools & villages.

• To the senior Doctors and medics at the Hospitals.

Some of the education leaflets produced by Sanda for JAAT

Education – within Watamu.

Education – getting out there.

Education - children in the village.

Education - Training Doctors.

Education - Training with BIG TV.

Education - More BIG TV.

Education – and also on LOCAL TV.

The WatamuAntivenom Triathlon.

Education – on the web, we are now DOT

COMwww.antivenomtrust.com

FINALLY! What do we do with your money?

ALL DONATIONS GO TO THE DIRECT PURCHASE OF ANTIVENOM

OR TO THE EDUCATION OF PEOPLE,

DOCTORS AND MEDICAL PERSONNEL ON

THE CORRECT TREATMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF SNAKEBITE.

And with that we have noticed a drop in donations and sponsorship.• We still hold good

quantities of grade “A” antivenom for now.

• Looking at the trend. We are running out of money to replenish this stock.

WAF

2004

2006

2008

2010

2012

2014

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AV- VIALSCASH EQUIV

JAAT now really needs some decent funding. Any

ideas?

A wise old man once told me.

• “Antivenom is like the Texan's gun. You don’t need it often but when you do……you need it real bad!”

James Ashe

Contact us• THE JAMES ASHE ANTIVENOM TRUST –

(JAAT )

• H.Q. & A.V. AT BIO-KEN SNAKE FARM, WATAMU, KENYA

• P.O. BOX 3, WATAMU, KENYA. (P/Code 80202)

• TEL : + 254 42 2332303 OR + 254 718 290324

OR + 254 735 587338

• EMAIL: sanda@bio-ken.com (SANDA) OR: snakes@bio-ken.com (ROYJAN)

• WEB :

www.antivenomtrust.com

Thank you!