Without an antidote, the patient’s condition will worsen very fast in no more than one or two weeks.
Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Health Ministry has distributed 146 vials of Fomepizole, an antidote for treating atypical progressive acute kidney injury, to 17 hospitals across Indonesia, the ministry’s spokesperson, Mohammad Syahril, informed on Tuesday.
“As of October 31, 2022, we have obtained a total of 246 vials of the Fomepizole antidote. Some 146 of the vials have been distributed to 17 hospitals,” he said at a press conference on the handling of acute kidney injury.
The antidote has been provided to Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Harapan Kita Hospital, and Fatmawati Hospital in Jakarta; M. Hafiz Hospital, Hasan Sadikin Hospital, and Dr. Soetomo Hospital in West Java province; and Syaiful Anwar Hospital and Bangil Hospital in East Java province.
The antidote has also been sent to Dr. Sardjito Hospital (Yogyakarta), Ngurah Rai Hospital (Bali), Dr. Zainoel Abidin Hospital (Aceh), Dr. M. Djamil Hospital (West Sumatra), H. Adam Malik Hospital (North Sumatra), and Dr. Mohammad Hoesin Hospital (South Sumatra).
In addition, the Soedarso Hospital in West Kalimantan, Wahidin Hospital in South Sulawesi, and Kuala Pembuang Hospital in Central Kalimantan have also received the antidote.
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“The antidote was imported from Singapore, Australia, and Japan,” the spokesperson informed.
The remaining 100 vials of Fomepizole have been kept by the ministry and will be disbursed later according to the needs and requests of hospitals.
According to Syahril, the early stage of kidney injury is indicated by reduced urine production. Meanwhile, the absence of urine production indicates a damaged kidney.
“Fomepizole as an antidote for kidney disorders should be given as early as possible when it is known that the patient is having drug poisoning,” he said.
If the patients’ condition becomes severe, it will be difficult to treat them using the antidote, he added.
“The sooner, the better. Without an antidote, the patient’s condition will worsen very fast in no more than one or two weeks,” the spokesperson informed.
As of October 31, the Health Ministry has recorded 304 patients with acute kidney injury. Of the total patients, 46 are still being treated, 99 have recovered, and 159 have died.
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