A tragic incident in the southern Libyan city of Ubari has reignited concerns over the region’s deteriorating healthcare infrastructure. Two children, including Qur’an student Abdullah Abubakr Said, died within 48 hours after being stung by venomous scorpions. The absence of antivenom in nearby clinics and soaring temperatures have compounded the crisis.
Despite prolonged efforts to save Abdullah, doctors were unable to administer the necessary treatment in time, sparking public outrage over what many see as preventable deaths. Residents mourned the loss not just as a personal tragedy, but as a symptom of systemic failure in environmental and medical response.
Ubari hospital nurse Khadija Al-Andeedi confirmed the deaths and warned of limited resources, noting that even children are being stung inside their homes. One case involved a child stung while resting on his mother’s shoulder.
Nearby Gharifa hospital treated a Syrian girl for a scorpion sting, administering antivenom before transferring her to Sabha Medical Center. The region’s worsening environmental conditions—marked by garbage accumulation and sewage leaks have created ideal breeding grounds for scorpions and other pests. Local sources said no pest control campaigns have been launched despite repeated appeals.
Environmental activist Faraj Al-Sanousi criticized what he called chronic neglect by authorities, stating: “Scorpion stings have become a daily reality in the south. The lack of sanitation and fumigation campaigns, especially during extreme heat, threatens thousands of lives.”
While medical sources report recurring fatalities and a severe shortage of antivenom, Ubari mayor Ahmed Matko claimed that supplies are sufficient and no deaths have been recorded. He also mentioned ongoing negotiations with an oil company to establish a local antivenom production facility.
This contradiction has left residents confused and frustrated, with many blaming poor coordination and lack of transparency between health and municipal authorities for deepening the crisis.
Doctors and activists across southern Libya—from Sabha to Ubari and Kufra—have taken to social media to call on the Ministry of Health and national leadership to urgently supply antivenom, launch sanitation drives, and raise public awareness about scorpion prevention.
Kufra alone records up to 10 sting cases daily, according to Dr. Othman Al-Taib, head of the Scorpion Lab at the Tropical Medicine Center. He warned that the region hosts some of the most dangerous scorpion species, with children being the most vulnerable.
The crisis, once seen as seasonal, has now escalated into a public health emergency demanding coordinated national intervention to prevent further loss of life, especially among children, who continue to pay the price for systemic neglect.
