Acute Kidney Cases, Ministry of Health urges to stop the use of all syrup drugs, not just paracetamol

UNSPLASH/Towfiqu barbhuiya ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - The spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, Mohammad Syahril, appealed to the public to stop using liquid medicine to avoid the mysterious acute kidney failure.

The call for the temporary discontinuation of the drug, said Syahril, is not only aimed at paracetamol syrup, but also any drug in liquid form.

"All syrup drugs or liquid drugs, not just paracetamol", said Syahril in a virtual press conference, Wednesday, October 19.

Syahril explained, in a study that is being carried out by the Ministry of Health with related parties, the cause of mysterious acute kidney failure that occurs in several countries including Indonesia is in one of the components of the syrup in the drug.

Therefore, as an early warning, the public is asked to avoid all drugs with syrup types or liquid preparations for a while until the results of the research are completed.

"It is suspected that this is not just the drug content, but there are other components that can cause intoxication", said Syahril.

"So, for the time being, the Ministry of Health has taken steps to save more cases or the next death, temporarily suspended its use until the completion of the research or tracing", he continued.

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A spokesman for the Ministry of Health Mohammad Syahril (left)/screenshot

In line with the issuance of the Decree of the Director General of Health Services of the Ministry of Health number HK.02.92/I/3305/2022 concerning the Management and Clinical Management of Atypical Progressive Acute Kidney Disorders, all health facilities are asked not to prescribe and provide drugs in liquid form.

"The Ministry of Health has asked all health workers in health care facilities, for the time being, not to prescribe or give medicines in liquid or syrup dosage forms until the results of the search and research are complete", he said.

In addition, the Ministry of Health also asked all pharmacies to temporarily not sell over-the-counter and/or limited-free drugs in liquid or syrup form to the public for the time being.

"This step is taken until the results of the research are complete with the intention that we are investigating these allegations. To save our heavier children, then a policy is taken to carry out this restriction", he explained.

The Ministry of Health also appealed to the entire community to treat children by not taking drugs in liquid or syrup form without consulting health workers.

"As an alternative, you can use other dosage forms such as tablets, capsules, suppositories, or others", said Syahril.

As is known, mysterious acute kidney failure is a condition when the kidneys are suddenly unable to filter waste from the blood and the cause is unknown.

Early symptoms of mysterious acute kidney disorders are fever, diarrhea or vomiting, and runny nose. Subsequent symptoms are decreased urine volume and urinary frequency, body swells, decreased consciousness, and shortness of breath.