Drug research on: Minister

 By Elizabeth Vuvu

The production of anti-venom for snakebites and developing a drug composition for drug-resistant tuberculosis are two ongoing programmes being caried out by the Research and Science Technology Council.

Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology and Gazelle MP Malakai Tabar revealed this to principals of colleges in the country yesterday during a meeting at Rapopo Beach Resort in Kokopo, East New Britain.

He said the Research Science Technology Council was another unit outside of the higher education ministry that focused on all research programmes within and outside PNG.

Tabar said collecting snake venom to make anti-venom to treat snakebites was “a very big research”. 

“In 2013 and 2014 one capsule of venom to cure a child who was bitten by a snake cost $A2500 (K5000),” he said.

Tabar said the Costa Rican Government was approached and it offered to help bring into the country cheaper anti-venom to treat snakebites in PNG.

“Prior to 2013, when a child was bitten, relatives instantly knew that this child was dead and gone, but today 80 to 90 per cent are safe as anti-venom is now available in the country and is only K400,” he said. 

“We believe it will go down to K200 per potion.”

Tabar said the person in charge of this programme was bitten six times by a Papuan Black snake and proved that anti-venom was strong to cure snakebites. 

“The other programme was discovering a tree outside Port Moresby that was effectively the main component for the tuberculosis drug,” he said.

“It is being tested out to see whether the bark, leaves or roots will be used to make a proper composition for the ingredient to develop the drug for drug-resistant TB in PNG.

“It is our recipe, we need to make sure it is patented and the Melbourne Chemistry Laboratory will assist us by putting together our tablets to treat drug-resistant TB patients.”