The World Health Organization (WHO) in Vietnam has just issued a press release regarding the emergency transfer of 5 vials of botulinum antidote to the Central City of Da Nang to support the treatment of three patients suffering from botulinum poisoning who are in critical condition.
Upon receiving notification from national health authorities, the World Health Organization swiftly activated coordination across its country office, regional office, and headquarters to locate available supplies of the antidote from the global stockpile in Geneva, Switzerland, and arrange immediate transport to Vietnam.
By late afternoon on March 11, representatives from the WHO's Emergency Response and Preparedness Unit arrived at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi and handed over the antidote to representatives of the Da Nang Department of Health and a team of WHO Vietnam experts. The antidote was then transported as quickly as possible to hospitals in Da Nang.
On March 9, the General Hospital in Da Nang’s northern mountainous region admitted five patients suffering from food poisoning after consuming fermented fish, suspected to contain botulinum toxin. Among them were three young children who are in critical and life-threatening condition.
Facing a shortage of botulinum antitoxin, the Da Nang Department of Health urgently appealed to the World Health Organization in Vietnam to provide Botulism Antitoxin Heptavalent (BAT) from international reserves to support treatment.
