Docs told not to use drug

By JINA AMBA
SURGERY is continuing at the Port Moresby General Hospital but doctors have been told not to use a batch of anaesthetic which allegedly had caused deaths, says hospital chief executive officer Dr Paki Molumi.
Dr Molumi told The National that the batch of the Propofol injection (IP 10mg/mL in 20mL vial 1%W/V) which was used in the hospital allegedly resulted in the deaths of some patients.
He said doctors were using other anaesthetics in stock.
It is understood that Propofol is not a new drug, and has been long in use.
It is used to put people to sleep, or for sedation, prior to and during operation.
A circular dated Aug 17 from Health secretary Dr Osborne Liko had alerted all hospitals on the banned anaesthetic.
It followed the use of the medicine at the hospital’s operating theatre on Aug 12 resulting in “seven very serious and fatal adverse events” detected.
Dr Liko said the Department of Health through its procurement and regulatory team was conducting a preliminary quality and safety assessments to identify the cause of the serious and fatal adverse events.
He wants an “immediate identification and quarantining of this batch from the entire procurement supply chain system both in public and private sectors”.
Health Minister Jelta Wong has confirmed there is an investigation into the use of the general anaesthesia drug Propofol following seven incidents reported at the Port Moresby General Hospital.