Health Ministry Urges Parents to Remain Vigilant of Acute Kidney Failure in Children
Ministry of Health Spokesperson Syahril delivers a press statement on acute kidney failure online on Wednesday (10/19). (Source: a screenshot)
Ministry of Health has urged parents to remain calm yet vigilant of acute kidney failure symptoms in children.
Since last August, Ministry of Health and the Indonesian Pediatric Society (IDAI) have received a significantly increasing number of reports related to acute kidney injury in children, particularly those under 5 years old. The symptoms include diarrhea, nausea, regurgitation, 3-5 day-long fever, coughing, runny nose, drowsiness, and low amount of urine or inability to urinate.
“This is very important for everyone, especially those who have children under 18 years old, especially under 5 years old. If their urination frequency decreases and the amount of urine also decreases or if they cannot urinate at all, which is known as anuria, do immediately have them checked at a healthcare facility,” Ministry of Health Spokesperson Syahril said in his press statement on Wednesday (10/19).
Syahril also urged patients’ family to bring the medicines the patients have consumed or inform healthcare workers about it and the medication history.
“If the children are taken to a doctor or hospital, the medicines that have been taken before must be brought to inform [the doctor] about the medication history,” he said, adding that the Ministry has also ordered healthcare workers at healthcare facilities to not prescribe liquid medications until the investigation and research carried out by the Ministry and the Indonesian Food and Drug Administration (BPOM) are completed.
The Ministry has also urged the people to refrain from consuming liquid medicines for the time being without prior consultation with healthcare workers.
As the first step to reducing the mortality rate of the disease, Syahril pointed out that Ministry of Health, through Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo National General Hospital, has purchased an antidote from abroad.
Previously, Ministry of Health has issued Decree of Director General of Healthcare Services Number HK.02.02/I/3305/2022 on Clinical Governance and Management of Atypical Progressive Acute Kidney Injury in Children at Healthcare Facilities and Circular Number SR.01.05/III/3461/2022 on Obligations of Epidemiological Investigation and Reporting of Atypical Progressive Acute Kidney Injury in Children for all healthcare offices, healthcare facilities, and professional organizations.
As of October 18, there were 206 reported acute kidney failure cases in 20 provinces and 99 children have died.
According to Syahril, Ministry of Health, the BPOM, epidemiologists, the IDAI, pharmacologists, and Forensic Laboratory Center of the Indonesian National Police are carrying out laboratory investigation to determine the causes and risk factors of acute kidney failure.
“From the testing on samples of leftover medicine consumed by patients, traces of compounds that have a potency to cause atypical acute kidney injury have been found. The Ministry of Health and the BPOM are currently conducting a comprehensive investigation and research, including on other probable risk factors,” he said.
Syahril also pointed out that the research results showed that there is no evidence that shows a correlation between the disease and COVID-19 vaccine. (DND/FID/UN) (DH/MUR)
