Anna-Lisa Paul and Bobie-Lee Dixon
People afflicted with syphilis seeking treatment at any government health facility have been turned back and must wait for treatment since there is a shortage of penicillin and the chemical agent used to test for it.
This situation has developed because the supplier of both the chemical to test for the disease and of penicillin, the first-line treatment for it, ceased importation of the drugs late last year.
Senior officials at the Ministry of Health yesterday confirmed the shortage, noting that it was brought to their attention last November. However, one official said special permission was given to an alternative supplier in mid-January to locate both the agent and medication. The official claimed this had been done and both commodities were expected to begin arriving in T&T “very soon.”
Officials at the Queen’s Park Counselling Centre and Clinic (QPCC) yesterday complained about the unavailability of the chemical and medicine, especially since they were currently experiencing an increase in the number of people seeking treatment following the carnival festivities.
QPCC officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they were responsible for testing thousands of blood samples taken from people across the country, including those seeking government employment, for whom a medical is mandatory.
The officials noted that the first-line treatment option was penicillin, adding that the second treatment drug doxycycline was “not as effective and was not recommended for use by pregnant women.”
The QPCC also provides testing and treatment for other STDs, including gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes and genital warts.
Alarmed by the shortage of the chemical and medicine to test for and treat syphilis, respectively, QPCC nursing staff agreed that the highly contagious disease was particularly harmful to unborn babies whose mothers had been diagnosed with it. They said if left untreated, syphilis could cause babies to be born with congenital heart defects and abnormalities.
Officers estimated that approximately 50 people visited the clinic daily seeking treatment for numerous STDs, as well as HIV/AIDS.
Claiming that this was “very disturbing as the children are the future of this country,” the medical officers said they were pained to witness what was happening daily.
Doxycycline is a tetracycline antibiotic that fights bacteria in the body.
It is used to treat many different bacterial infections such as acne, urinary tract infections, intestinal infections, eye infections, gonorrhea, chlamydia and periodontitis (gum disease).
Contacted yesterday, Health Minister Fuad Khan confirmed the shortage but said doxycycline could be used in the interim.
He said penicillin V was not as accessible as it used to be because not many countries still used the brand. He said as a result of this, it was no longer lucrative for distributors to import.
With this knowledge, Khan said, the Government had been looking for manufacturers to supply the drugs.
“C-40, which is the importing and distributors’ arm of the NIPDEC pharmaceutical system, will be importing the pen V. Government has identified some supplies and we will be importing via C-40,” he said.
Asked how soon the country could expect supplies, Khan could not give a timeline, but said supplies were expected to arrive soon. He added that Pen V was not the only medication available to treat syphilis.
Regarding the syphilis testing kit, he assured the public that a new supply had been signed off on by the Chief Medical Officer and would also be in the country shortly. He urged citizens not to panic, reiterating there were other drugs that could be used in the meantime.
“So there is no need for concern or for anyone to panic. The ministry is aware and is putting things in place to deal with the situation.”