"Last August, we received the report that acute kidney failure cases surged significantly to 36 cases, hence, in early September, we promptly clarified the information by verifying the data with the Indonesian Paediatrician Association (IDAI) data," Tarmizi informed during a discussion on Wednesday.
After deliberations on the emerging cases, the IDAI concurred that the kidney injury cases were different from earlier known cases, she said.
The ministry official highlighted that in children suffering from acute kidney injury, urine production drops suddenly to zero without any symptoms, while kidney failure is commonly known to be preceded by congenital, infectious, or other diseases.
"What we found now is that the disease is rapidly deteriorating with no particular symptom," Tarmizi said.
The ministry is yet to find a consistent cause for acute kidney injury in spite of conducting various experiments involving culturing viruses, bacteria, and fungus from patients' urine and blood samples, she added.
Moreover, in the period from August to October 2022, hemodialysis failed to improve the condition of children suffering from acute kidney injury though the practice normally increases the possibility of recovery by up to 90 percent, the official added.
"Only 30 percent (of acute kidney injury patients) in the August–September period recovered completely," Tarmizi said.
The government has continued to investigate the surge in acute kidney injury cases, she informed.
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Translator: Sugiharto P, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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