The National Health Department has welcomed the decision by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority to recall a medical lubricating gel that has been linked to fungus infections in hundreds of patients.
It is understood that the gel known as a sterile lubricating jelly is suspected to be the source of a multi-province fungal infection outbreak.
The department said between January last year and December this year at least 380 patients in both public and private hospitals contracted a yeast-like fungus, stemming from the use of the product.
The lubricating jelly is used in medical and surgical procedures such as inserting urinary and venous catheters.
” This follows an investigation by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases into an unusually high number of patients in hospitals across South Africa with positive cultures of a fungus called Wickerhamomyces anomalus (previously known as candida pelliculosa). The fungus is recognized as an emerging pathogen causing serious infections among immunocompromised and critically ill patients and among babies admitted to neonatal units” said the health department’s Foster Mohale.
Mohale said the product has been removed from all hospitals with immediate effect.
” The department has alerted provincial health authorities and clinicians to place all suspected batches on hold until further information from ongoing an investigation is known. There is no need for members of the public to panic as the situation is under control.”
-EWN
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