Abu Dhabi, January 29: The Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD), the regulatory body of the healthcare sector in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, announced the introduction of the Antidote stocks standard in Healthcare Facilities. The standard is a guide to healthcare providers to ensure continuous and safe access to antidotes used to counteract poisoning.
Inadequate hospital stocking and the unavailability of essential antidotes is a worldwide problem and prove to be potentially disastrous for patients.
A recent survey showed that only 10 per cent of hospitals in the emirate adequately stocked the 12 identified essential antidotes that should be immediately made available at emergency rooms (ER) or any area where poisoned patients are initially treated.
Dr Yasser Sharif, Section Head of Medication and Medical Product Safety and Head of Poison and Drug Information Centre, said: “The timely use of antidotes is potentially lifesaving in certain poisonings. Maintaining a sufficient stock of antidotes is the responsibility of any facility that provides emergency care. If a poisoned patient requires an antidote that is not stocked at a particular hospital, then either the patient must be transferred, or the antidote must be obtained from another hospital.”
The new standard is set to maintain a minimum stock amount of each antidote at the ER that is sufficient to treat a 70 kg adult for the first 24 hours of admission for treatment.
Under the new standard, healthcare facilities will be required to ‘Report to HAAD’ the antidote stocks level on a monthly basis using the specified reporting form. The facilities will also need to establish policies and procedures for effective sharing of antidotes during stock shortages and ensure that licensed healthcare professionals are responsible for prescribing and administering antidotes.
The standard will act as an interim advisory guide for a period of six month and will become mandatory on June 1.
This standard applies to all HAAD licensed Healthcare Providers, Facilities with Emergency Services Departments and Professionals engaged in providing emergency care, in Abu Dhabi.
–Agencies–