Deadly. The scorpion of the species Tytus flees from moisture with the arrival of the rains
A four-year-old child died yesterday from complications due to being stung by a deadly type of scorpion.
The child was stung at his home in Llano Grande, Coclé. He was initially treated at the Coclesito Health Clinic, then taken to the La Pintada Health Center and Aquilino Tejeira Hospital in Penonomé. None of these facilities, however, had the antidote for treating scorpion stings. The child died en route to Panama City.
Health officials said this is the third case of young children being stung by scorpions in the last two weeks in Coclé. The creatures are most active at the time of the year as they seek shelter in houses to avoid the rain.
Regional Health Director Maricarmen Jaén confirmed the death of the child and said that the problem occurred, not because there was no serum available, but because it had expired, and the attending physicians decided it was too risky to administer it. Administrative problems have delayed the shipment of up-to-date antidotes to many health centers.
"The most that can be done now is to take extra prevention measures and recommend to parents, especially in mountainous areas, to monitor where their children play and carefully clean the areas surroundings their houses," said Jaén.
http://www.prensa.com/provincias/La_Pintada_Cocle_0_4191331032.html
Replies
Keith
I guess that is happening because of what I could call "the lawsuit syndrome". As you say it is a tough call. It would be a 100% responsibility of the doctor if he administered a drug or medicine that has expired and something happens to the patient. He wont be liable if the patient died because there were not the medicine available or it was expired. The Ministry of Health, the government and Health Authorities will be liable for this situation instead.
Cuba as well:
http://www.laht.com/article.asp?CategoryId=14510&ArticleId=373807
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=RV_Xw...
SERUMS FOR SCORPION STINGS ARRIVE IN PANAMA - Programa Radial
The Ministry of Health (MINSA) reported that the Serum required to meet such emergencies in the isthmus has already reached the country from Venezuela.
Through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Panama and the Embassy of Venezuela, MINSA was able to contact the Biotechnology Center at the Central University of Venezuela and has received by diplomatic bag 1,250 vials of the serum, according to a press release from the entity.
According to Minsa, the product arrived in Panama last Wednesday, after the negotiations that were developed during the last Summit of the Americas between both countries.
The serum was not available within the isthmus, as Venezuela, the supplier country, banned the exportation of it since September 2014. As a result of this ban the response capacity of Minsa to emergencies by scorpion stings was decreased, the majority of which occur in forested areas.
The lack of serum resulted in the last week in the death of a child in the province of Cocle.
Meanwhile, the secretary-general of the Ministry of Health, Eric Ulloa said that currently the serum in the existing health centers, despite having an expiry date in March, can be applied in cases of emergency. This, until the health centers receive new vials, which will happen in the next few days, he added.
Currently the areas with the highest presence of deadly scorpions are in the Northern part of the province of Cocle, Colon, and the northern part of Veraguas.
The health minister Francisco Javier Terrientes did not rule out the production of Serum in Panama in the future, but warned that it is a long-term measure.
Thanks for the update Keith.
Walter
I will be off topic too but... Oh My God. I read the article you sent me and.... what a way people is looking to make them rich without working in a short time. I cant think they are so stupid to place this kind of lawsuits.
Walter
That example you did about the Woman that sued McDonalds is what makes me wonder about what you call the "lawsuit culture" in developed countries. Sometimes we look that somebody pay for our stupid actions.
I hope that our "good" lawyers in Panama doesn't take this "lawsuit culture" so seriously in our country. There have been a couple of lawsuit in Panama recently where a couple of patients sued the Hospital Santo Tomas for medical malpractice. That money will be paid from our taxes and not from the people's in the hospital that made a bad call or a bad decision.
Walter, there is a big difference in "drugs" and anti-venom.
This thread poses a couple of questions for us:
1. Can you purchase anti venom to keep close by in case of a sting?
2. What about dogs? I assume they too can be stung. Is the effect as deadly on animals? If so, what do you do immediately while driving to the vet?
Thanks for the information from anyone who can help.
I have a dog that was stung on the nose. Curiosity can sometimes be painful. He didn't have any lasting effects, just a painful nose for a few hours. It was good that he alerted us to the fact it was in the house by our front door though.
-
1
-
2
-
3
of 3 Next