Capitol procures snake anti-venom

Local

BEGINNING next week, victims suffering snake bites in Cebu province won’t have to look far to secure rare, life-saving antivenoms.

The Cebu Provincial Government announced on Friday, July 3, that it has successfully procured Taradoc, a brand known for producing polyvalent antivenom.

“For the first time, the Cebu province has taken delivery of polyvalent antivenom, strengthening our capacity to respond to life-threatening snakebite emergencies,” said Dr. Elisse Nicole ‘Nikki’ Catalan, the province’s health consultant.

Distribution of the antivenoms to the four provincial hospitals in Carcar City, Bogo City, Danao City, and Balamban is currently underway.

For the 12 district hospitals, Catalan said, officials are still ironing out the process and permits, particularly in terms of storage.

“This is more than the arrival of a medicine. It is an investment in preparedness, faster emergency response, and saving lives.

One more step toward a stronger, more responsive provincial healthcare system where no Cebuano is left behind,” she added.

Manufactured by an Indian pharmaceutical company, Taradoc is used to treat severe envenomation from the King Cobra, whose population is widespread in the country.

It’s also being used for the treatment of envenomation from endemic cobras in the Philippines, such as the Philippine cobra and Samar cobra.

A cobra bite kills a person by shutting down the respiratory system through rapid neuromuscular paralysis, which prevents the lungs from taking in oxygen.

Without medical treatment, a person can die from a cobra bite in 30 minutes to 6 hours, primarily due to respiratory failure.

In 2023, a young boy in Sogod, Southern Leyte died after being bitten by the deadly Samar cobra. His family had to travel to Tacloban City, but the victim succumbed to the venom along the way.(RBE)