The Health ministry is considering local production of antivenom for sustainable supply.
It is also developing policies, guidelines and processes to identify high-quality brands with the best prices for licensing.
Snakebites are a public health problem in arid areas such as Baringo, Kitui, Kilifi, Wajir, Garissa, Machakos, Marsabit, Isiolo, Makindu, Mwingi and Taveta.
Snakes move into homesteads in search of water and shelter, resulting in conflict with residents.
The abundance of snakes in arid and semi-arid areas or elsewhere during the rainy season, coupled with a chronically underfunded health system, means the snakebite death rate could be high.
KWS data from Baringo alone shows that four deaths and 55 snakebite injuries were reported last year.
Health CS Sicily Kariuki on Tuesday said there had been an upsurge of snakebites in the arid parts of the country.
The reportage of the bites follows active campaigns kicked off by the ministry in line with international health resolutions on neglected tropical diseases.
“We wish to assure the public that the National Vaccines and Immunisation Programme at the Ministry of Health maintains an emergency stock of 2,000-5,000 vials of these products for such emergency use as at any given time. These stocks are currently available,” the CS said in a statement.
The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority is tasked with procuring and distributing snake antivenom for and to public health facilities.
“The ministry has two approved brands of snake antivenom, both produced using venom harvested from African snakes,” Sicily said.
The ministry, in partnership with the counties, provides free immunisation services to about three million Kenyans annually.
The vaccines are in two broad categories — routine infant and child vaccines, and non-routine vaccines offered to special risk groups or on demand, including snake antivenom and anti-rabies vaccines.
Previous studies have mainly focused on identifying offending snake species across the country, but the underlying factors are yet to be fully understood.