Recently, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has given some instructions to solve the sudden problems and death of patients due to complications related to anesthesia in various hospitals. The guidelines have asked to stop the use of halogen in anesthesia to avoid future complications and to ensure the quality of drugs used in anesthesia.
These instructions were given in a notification signed by Jasim Uddin Haider, Joint Secretary, Health Care Department, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, on Thursday (March 28).
In recent years, some patients have died due to anesthesia complications and patients have sudden physical problems, the guidelines said. In order to prevent this and to ensure the quality of drugs used in anesthesia, it is requested to take necessary measures regarding the following recommendations to stop the use of halogen in anesthesia and determine its alternative and to prevent death due to anesthesia and its misuse.
The instructions include:
1. Isoflurane/sevoflurane should be used instead of halogen as inhalational anesthetic in operation theaters in all government and private hospitals across the country.
2. Estimate the total number of halogen/isoflurane/sevoflurane vaporizers in all public and private hospitals across the country and the amount of money required to replace the existing halothane vaporizers with isoflurane/sevoflurane vaporizers.
3. Necessary measures should be taken to prevent purchase, sale and use of halogen without the approval of DGD.
4. All Anesthesiologists (Government/Private) across the country should take necessary measures to enforce the guidelines regarding use of Isoflurane instead of Halogen.
5. All government health care institutions will be required to replace existing halogen vaporizers with isoflurane vaporizers on demand basis.
6. In case of purchase of new anesthesia machines the specification should clearly ensure the inclusion of isoflurane/sevoflurane vaporizer.
AAM/MKR/JIM
#guidelines #including #stopping #halogens #anesthesia