Lawmaker pushes venom bill

MANILA, Philippines — A lawmaker is pushing for a “venom bill” that would require all hospitals nationwide to stock up on and always have antivenom shots to prevent death or disability from the toxic bites or stings of spiders, snakes, scorpions or jellyfish.

In House Bill No. 10976, Leyte Rep. Carl Nicolas Cari wants all public or private hospitals and health-care facilities to maintain a sufficient and easily accessible stock of antivenom vaccines.

READ: Death of girl, 3, highlights need for anti-venom in Bohol – Pizarras

The bill would penalize medical facilities that fail to comply with its requirement. It tasks the Department of Health to regularly train health-care professionals, provide initial funding for the procurement, storage and distribution of antivenom vaccines and craft the implementing guidelines of the measure. —Jeannette I. Andrade