Govt directives to prevent anesthesia related deaths

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued six guidelines to prevent the deaths and sudden complications due to anesthesia, including ensuring the quality of medicines used in anesthesia.

The circular, undersigned by Jasim Uddin Haider, joint secretary of health services division, was issued on Wednesday.

The ministry instructed to assess the quantity of Halothane /Isoflurane/Sevoflurane vaporiser (anesthetic drugs) in all hospitals nationwide, and mandated to use Isoflurane/Sevoflurane instead of Halothane as an Inhalational anesthetic in the operation theaters of all government and private hospitals across the country.

Necessary measures must be taken with all anesthesiologists at government and private hospitals across the country to follow the instructions regarding the use of isoflurane instead of halothane, as well as determining the specification for the purchase of new anesthesia machines, the circular also said.

It further directed for taking measures to prevent the purchase, sale and use of Halothane without the approval of the Directorate General of Drug Administration.