No New Cases Of Acute Kidney Failure Have Been Added In Indonesia Since The Ban On Syrups

Illustration. Case of mysterious acute kidney failure in children. (Unsplash-Robina Weermeijer)

JAKARTA - The ban on the administration and distribution of syrup drugs to prevent the addition of atypical progressive acute kidney failure cases through a circular issued by the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) has had a positive impact.

The spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, Mohammad Syahril, claimed that there were no new cases of acute kidney failure as of October 22-24, 2022. This time period was after the issuance of the circular on the restriction of syrup drugs.

As of Monday, October 25, there were 251 cases of acute kidney failure originating from 26 provinces. Of the total cases, about 80 percent of cases occurred in DKI Jakarta, West Java, Aceh, East Java, West Sumatra, Bali, Banten, and North Sumatra. A total of 143 cases of them died with a mortality rate of 56 percent.

In this data, there are 10 additional cases and 2 deaths from the previous record. However, Syahril emphasized that this addition was a late-reported case that occurred in September and early October 2022.

“The reported cases are old cases that occurred in September and early October which were only reported on Monday. From October 22 to Monday there have been no new cases," said Syahril during a virtual press conference in Jakarta, Tuesday, October 25.

An example of the pressure of new cases after requests not to sell and prescribe syrups in hospitals, health centers, pharmacies, and so on, can be seen in the condition of patient care at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital.

"The circular letter from the Ministry of Health has succeeded in preventing the addition of new cases. In RSCM as the national kidney referral hospital, there have been no new patients since last October 22," said Syahril.

Furthermore, Syahril revealed that the government had brought in 26 vials of antidote or antidote, namely fomepizole from Singapore and 16 vials from Australia.

Furthermore, the government will import 200 vials of fomepizole from Japan and the United States.

"This drug will soon be distributed to government referral hospitals throughout Indonesia and this drug is free, not paid for patients," said Syahril.

From the results of the administration of fomepizole at the RSCM, continued Syahril, 10 of the 11 patients continued to experience clinical improvement, and there were no deaths and no further deterioration.

"The child has started to pass urine or urine. From the results of laboratory examinations, the ethylene glycol levels of the 10 children have not detected any harmful substances," he said.