Following recent fatalities, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued a directive prohibiting the use of halothane in anesthesia across all hospitals in Bangladesh.
In an official order, the ministry instructed the Directorate General of Health Services to enforce the utilization of isoflurane or sevoflurane as viable alternatives to halothane. Additionally, the Directorate General of Drug Administration has been tasked with regulating the procurement and distribution of halogenated anesthetics.
Signed by Joint Secretary Jashim Uddin Haider, the order has been disseminated to all relevant stakeholders and circulated among anesthesiologists nationwide.
The decision to halt the use of halothane comes in the wake of recent deaths, including those of two children during circumcision procedures and a patient at Labaid Hospital. While the hospital has denied administering anesthesia for the endoscopy procedure, relatives allege otherwise.
Although the government has not disclosed further details or investigations into these incidents, the health ministry’s order mandates the cessation of halothane usage in both government and private hospitals.
Professor of anesthesia Dr. ABM Muksudul Alam, also the Principal of Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College, affirmed that they had advocated for halothane cessation last year due to its global obsolescence and associated risks.
Dr. Alam, a prominent figure in the Bangladesh Society of Anesthesiologists, emphasized that halothane is no longer produced domestically, and any available stock may be expired, adulterated, or smuggled.
Despite its cost-effectiveness, halothane has been banned by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) due to its adverse health and environmental impacts.
The health ministry’s directive also includes measures to ensure the quality of anesthesia in hospitals, such as procuring anesthesia machines specifically designed for isoflurane or sevoflurane vaporizers. Furthermore, authorities are tasked with estimating the cost of replacing halothane vaporizers in existing machines.
