Indonesia Imports Fomepizole to Treat Mysterious Kidney Disease in Children

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - The government is trying to overcome acute kidney injury (AKI) that affect children by using an antidote from ethylene glycol (EG) named Fomepizole.

According to the Indonesian Minister for Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin, the decision to import Fomepizole came after discussions with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the country Gambia which also experienced similar cases.

So far, Indonesia had received 20 vials of Fomepizole from Singapore and is waiting for another 16 vials from Australia. Indonesia is planning to get more from the United State of America and Japan.

"We are buying from America, they do not have too many there. We are also buying from Japan, they have about 2.000 (vials)," Budi said at the press conference on Monday (24/10/2022).

He added that Fomepizole that had arrived in Indonesia has been tried on patients. As a result, they got better.

Patients with atypical progressive acute kidney injury are generally unable to urinate. However, after they got the medicine, they began to be able to urinate little by little. Some were already able to excrete a lot.

Moreover, previously unconscious patients now began to regain their consciousness after they were given the medicine. 

Fomepizole is a type of antidote that functions as a cure to overcome poisoning.

In a press conference on Friday, October 21, Budi mentioned that his party planned to import 200 vials of Fomepizole. Each vial of fomepizole cost IDR 16 million which means the total 200 vials ordered cost IDR 3,2 billion.

"One vial costs IDR 16 million, we are the ones who cover (them) and for the time being these will be given for free (to acute kidney injury patients)," he said.

"With this medicine, let's say (we) took a medicine which contains a harmful compound, at least now we already know what to do."

The medicines which contains harmful compound have bee suspected to cause the kidney problem among kids. Some medicine syrups have been banned by the government.

Minister Budi hopes that Fomepizole could help treat acute kidney injury patients so that the mortality rate decreased.

"Right now, the Indonesian government is importing more (Fomepizole) so that the patients can be treated. Since we already know what the cause is, it can be cured," Health Minister Budi Gunadi continued.

"Hopefully, it can lower the fatality rate which reaches 50 percent. Therefore, besides preventing the source of the disease, we also do therapy in terms of medicines."

The Minister for Health, Republic of Indonesia Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated that the arrival of Fomepizole, a medicine for patients with AKI will be accelerated. In addition, Budi revealed that those medicines will be given to AKI patients for free.

10 out of 11 AKI patients' condition gradually improved after getting Fomepizole during their treatment at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital. Those eleven patients had taken syrup medicines which were assumed to be contaminated with certain chemical compounds which caused AKI.

"We can conclude that this medicine (Fomepizole) gives benefit and we will accelerate its arrival to Indonesia so that children can be saved," Budi said in a press conference at the state palace on Monday, October 24, 2022.

Budi revealed that the medicine will be given for free to the AKI patients.AKI patients, he said, were unable to urinate. Even with hemodialysis, they did not get any better. Their condition worsened.

However, after they got the medicine, their condition improved. They were able to urinate and those who were unconscious began to regain consciousness.

Furthermore, Cipto Mangunkusumo hospital would distribute the medicines to referral government hospitals."We will distribute to all government hospitals that treat AKI patients," said the Minister of Health.

Writer: Adelina Wahyu Martanti.

Ade Nasihudin Al Ansori contributed to this report.