Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said the antivenom or poisonous snake antidote was usually supplied to all government hospitals.
The Health Ministry has given its assurance that
antivenomis available at all government hospitals in the country.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said the
antivenomor poisonous snake antidote was usually supplied to all government hospitals and if stocks had depleted at one hospital, the
antivenomcould be obtained from the nearest one.
"So far, the supply of
antivenomis adequate and the ministry will increase it if necessary," he told a press conference after opening the Asia Dengue Conference 2016 here, Saturday.
Dr Subramaniam was commenting on a report in a local daily
yesterday whichalleged that
supplyof
antivenomcould only be obtained
ata government hospital in Kajang and the antidote had a very short expiry date.
The report was carried out following the death of a Standard One pupil who was bitten by a poisonous snake when playing in a garden in front of
the her class atSekolah Kebangsaan Dato' Hashim 1, Pengkalan Chepa, Kelantan on April 19.
READ: Schoolgirl who died of snake biteburied at Che Latiff Muslim CemeteryREAD: Schools, playgrounds prone to snakes during hot weatherMeanwhile, at the same press conference, Dr Subramaniam said the total number of fatalities due to dengue fever fell to 94 from January to April 22 this year as compared to 119 deaths during the same period last year.
"This is
positive signfrom the Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) on Management of Dengue which came into force in September last year," said Dr Subramaniam.
He said the ministry would continue to work hard to ensure the number of dengue fatalities continued to fall.
Also present were Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, Health deputy director-general (Medical) Datuk Dr S.
Jeyaindranand Health deputy director-general (Public Health) Datuk Dr Lokman Hakim.
