• “Thousands of residents have benefited from my medication and I am happy to have saved lives,”
• Should a patient die, one goat is slaughtered for gravediggers and another for mourners during the burial
Peter Musyoka puts bio-disc into water before he adds calcium, potassium and chromium to make a powerful concoction that treats snakebites.
And for 22 years, he has created a wide network of clients with Mwingi residents often referring patients to his clinic.
The 72-year-old man from Mui ward in Mwingi East subcounty of Kitui treats snakebites for two goats. One can pay Sh6,000 instead of the animals.
Musyoka says his clinic deals with alternative medicine.
Musyoka says when a patient cooks with the water or drinks it, it detoxifies the body and raises the immune system.
And as the Star interviewed him in his Mwingi clinic, a patient was brought in.
Dorcas Mutindi Mulwa had been bitten by a cobra near her house in Mwingi town on Saturday.
She was rushed to several private clinics in Mwingi town before a confidant suggested they tried alternative medication at Musyoka's clinic. Her right leg was swollen as she was in deep pain.
Musyoka administered a glass of his water concoction that was to be taken after every five minutes. Meanwhile, the swollen leg was dipped inside a bucket full of the water.
Forty minutes later, Mutindi went for a short call. Musyoka said the call meant her body was fully saturated. She was later discharged.
When asked why he charges two goats for the treatment, Musyoka said when a patient dies, one goat is slaughtered for the men digging the grave and the second one is slaughtered for mourners during the burial ceremony.
“A snakebite is a deadly attack and for saving a life, a charge of the two goats that amounts to Sh6,000 is fair,” Musyoka said.
The retired teacher has another clinic operated by his wife back in their Mui village.
“Thousands of residents have benefited from my medication and I'm happy to have saved lives,” he said.
He urged people to embrace cheap modes of treatment, saying many lives have been lost to snakebites.
“So many lives have been lost following these poisonous bites as most of the bites happen in the villages and before the patient is taken to hospital, they pass along the way, often be due to bad roads.”
Musyoka said people should act quickly when one is bitten to save lives.
Musyoka opened a clinic in Mui village in 1998 where snakebite patients were treated. He would only charge Sh1,000 at the time.
"After the prices of drugs went up, I started charging two goats for the treatment,” he said.
He said he has conducted numerous training on life-saving methods across Mwingi and through the exercise, many lives have been saved.
But he says many locals do not appreciate his clinic while others do not pay after treatment.
“When a patient comes in, I rush to save their lives first before asking for money and when they feel better, they promise to pay yet some never honour their promises.”
Despite such challenges, Musyoka says he's happy because no life has been lost at his clinic. The herbalist also sells treated water which he claims cures many diseases.
Mwingi Level 4 Hospital medical superintendent Dr Evans Mumo said the cost of anti-venom is Sh500 but the cost of treatment depends on the number of days a patient is admitted.
According to a study done at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital in Kisumu last year, the average cost of treating a snakebite victim who gets admitted for between one and five days is Sh2,652.