Capitol gets antivenom

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu Provincial Government has received its first-ever supply of polyvalent antivenom, marking a significant step in strengthening emergency treatment for venomous snakebites across the province.

Capitol Piso Public Health Consultant Dr. Elisse Nicole Catalan announced that the province has taken delivery of Taradoc, a polyvalent antivenom used to treat severe envenomation caused by the King Cobra, Philippine Cobra, and Samar Cobra.

“Today marks an important milestone. For the first time, the Cebu Province has taken delivery of polyvalent antivenom, strengthening our capacity to respond to life-threatening snakebite emergencies,” Catalan said.

She noted that snakebites remain a serious but often underreported public health concern, particularly in rural communities where immediate access to treatment can mean the difference between life and death.

Catalan credited the administration of her mother, Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro, for strengthening the province’s emergency healthcare services to ensure that more Cebuanos have timely access to lifesaving treatment closer to their communities.

Unlike monovalent antivenom, which is effective against only one snake species, Taradoc is a polyvalent antivenom capable of neutralizing venom from multiple medically important cobra species.

The antivenom was delivered on July 3 and will be available free of charge for emergency use beginning this week at Cebu Provincial Hospital (CPH)-Balamban, CPH-Bogo, CPH-Danao and CPH-Carcar.

Although the initial storage and usage permit covers only the four provincial hospitals, Catalan said all 12 other Capitol-run district hospitals will have access to the antivenom through the provincial hospital network. She added that the remaining hospitals are expected to secure compassionate special permits allowing them to store and administer the medicine in the future.

Catalan said the four designated provincial hospitals already have healthcare workers trained in the assessment and management of snakebite cases. Patients admitted to other Capitol-run hospitals who require antivenom treatment may also be referred through the provincial hospital network.

She described the arrival of the medicine as more than simply acquiring a lifesaving drug.

"It is an investment in preparedness, faster emergency response, and a stronger provincial healthcare system," she said.

Catalan also thanked Board Member Stanley Caminero for leading the procurement of the antivenom and advocating for its availability in Capitol-run hospitals.

The development comes nearly 14 years after a high-profile cobra bite incident exposed Cebu's lack of readily available antivenom.

On August 14, 2012, Cebu City Zoo worker Ronaldo "Ronron" Aventurado was bitten by a Philippine cobra after capturing the venomous snake inside the zoo grounds. He was rushed to Cebu City Medical Center, where his condition became critical as the venom affected his breathing.

At the time, no hospital in Cebu had cobra antivenom in stock. Former Cebu City councilor Sylvan “Jack” Jakosalem sought help from Capt. Jessup Bahinting, founder and chief executive officer of Aviatour Air, who volunteered one of his aircrafts to fly to Camiguin and retrieve four vials of cobra antivenom.

The medicine was flown back to Cebu and administered to Aventurado within the critical treatment window, helping save his life. He later recovered and was discharged from the hospital on August 22, 2012.

The incident prompted renewed calls for hospitals in Cebu to maintain adequate supplies of snake antivenom to ensure a faster response to future snakebite emergencies. /FPL