"It is distributed to health facilities that carry out treatment (of AKI patients)," head of the Jakarta Health Office, Widyastuti, said here on Tuesday.
The health office head did not provide further details on the antidote allocation that Jakarta would receive because it would be supplied directly to health facilities.
The Jakarta Health Office recorded 90 acute kidney injury cases in children in the period from January to October 24, 2022. Of the number, almost 50 percent died.
According to Widyastuti, AKI patients who are still undergoing treatment are being treated in vertical hospitals owned by the central government.
In Jakarta, Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM) and Harapan Kita Mother and Child Hospital are serving as referral hospitals.
Related news: Jakarta boosts PICU capacity to handle acute kidney injury cases
The Jakarta Health Office has increased the bed capacity at pediatric intensive care units (PICU) in hospitals in the province from 197 to 219 as part of efforts to handle AKI in children.
The Health Office has also improved the competency of doctors and nurses to deal with the limited number of nephrology consultants or health workers who play a role in diagnosing and treating kidney problems in children, infants, and adolescents.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health will accelerate the arrival of Fomepizole, an antidote to drug poisoning seen in acute kidney injury patients. The medicine will be provided free of cost to all patients.
According to the ministry’s data, the condition of 10 out of 11 acute kidney injury patients at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital--who had consumed syrup medicines suspected of being contaminated with certain chemical substances—has gradually improved after taking Fomepizole.
"We can conclude that this medicine (Fomepizole) has a positive impact, and we will accelerate its arrival to Indonesia so that children can be saved," Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said during a press conference on Monday.
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Related news: Ministry provides free medicine for treating acute kidney disorders
Translator: Dewa Ketut, Raka Adji
Editor: Suharto
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