Kemenkes Willfill The Need For Three Snake Antibidities, This Type!

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) continues to procure three types of snake antibias serum (antivoke) this year.

Later, the antiserum will be distributed to the provincial level referral hospital.

"Currently, the antivenom we are buying is only in central facilities, and there are only three types of antivenoms," said Head of the Communications and Public Service Bureau of the Indonesian Ministry of Health, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, quoting Antara, Jakarta, January 18.

The three types of antivenom include King Cobra Antivenom, Neuro Polivalent (Thailand) Antivenom, and Dabouia Siamensis Antivenom.

In addition, Indonesia has also produced BioSave serum or anti-vegetable serum made by PT Bio Farma which functions to neutralize snake cans in the human body due to the bite of a earth snake, masher, and Javan cobra.

Nadia said the procurement of the three types of antivenoms was carried out in 2023, and immediately distributed to provincial-level referral hospital facilities.

According to Nadia, during the rolling anti-venom procurement process, the handling of cases of venomous snake bites was carried out through the first aid emergency method as an initial treatment.

Initial handling that can be done includes washing snake bites with soap and water, keeping the area bitten quiet and in a lower position than the heart.

Cover the bite area with a clean cold compress or humid sanitary napkin to reduce swelling and discomfort, monitoring breathing and heart rate.

Next, remove all rings, watches, and clothes that narrow in case of swelling, record bite times so that they can be reported to emergency room health service providers if needed.

If possible, try to remember and mark the bite time and initial reaction of the bite, given what size and type of snake, can help medical staff determine the proper handling.

He said health workers at the puskesmas level had mastered the method.

"What needs to be done by puskesmas officers if there is a case of snake bites is to do a first act as an initial handling of the case so that there is no systemic reaction such as mobilization," he said.

This statement was made by Nadia in response to the incident that happened to the Chairman of thetaining Indonesian Snake Foundation, Aji Rachmat Purwanto, who died, Tuesday (14/2), due to being bitten by a Kingmen's snake in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan.

Aji was bitten by a King bird while filling a basic training muscle (BTM) event in Banjarmasin on Sunday (12/2).