GOVT WITHDRAWS ANESTHETIC DRUG AFTER TWO PATIENTS' DEATH IN SILOAM

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Feb 20 (Antara) - The death last week of two patients after being administered Bunavest Spinal in Siloam Hospital in Tangerang, Banten, prompted the government to order the withdrawal of the anesthetic drug from all pharmaceutical industry traders.          "We ordered the recall of four kinds of anesthetics from all pharmaceutical industry traders across the country," Health Minister Nila F Moeloek said on Friday.          The Food and Drug Monitoring Agency BPOM has also suspended since Tuesday the distribution permit of Buvanest Spinal, the anesthetic produced by Kalbe Farma following the death of the two patients.          According to corporate communications general manager of Siloam, Heppi Nurfianto, the two patients were injected with Buvanest Spinal before undergoing a caesarian section and urology surgeries on Feb. 11.  They were taken to the ICU for treatment but died the next day.          "We are awaiting results of the investigation first. We have made sure that we had done [the surgery] based on procedures," Heppi was quoted by the Jakarta Globe as saying on Wednesday.          Health Minister Nila F Moeloek said her ministry was still investigating the death of the two patients.