M. L. Viso
Asociación Civil Isabel Cecilia Itriago Viso. Teléfono 02-7635389, Caracas, Venezuela
The Civil Association Isabel Cecilia Itriago Viso is a non-profit association, created as an answer to the painful experience of some of its founding members who tragically noticed the lack of information that has the Venezuelan community about the potential danger that represent scorpions; the physicians ignorance on the treatment that should be administered to patients envenomed by highly toxic scorpions; and the fact that few hospitals or clinics have scorpion antivenom The previously enunciated serious lacks, have conducted a group of directly affected persons jointly with toxicology specialists, scientists and researchers that have dedicated an important part of their life to the study of the scorpions, their venoms and the treatment of the victims, have joined efforts to attack scorpionism in Venezuela and, by this way, avoid more deaths produced by these arthropods, besides contributing to create consciousness that we live in a tropical country with a fauna and flora that we should share. The main activities of this civil association are directed to general public and to physicians, and are basically directed to the following goals: 1. Alert the community about the potential danger that represent scorpions in Venezuela. 2. Inform the collectivity about the medical centers that are prepared to assist scorpion envenomations. 3. Create consciousness on the necessity of immediate transfer of scorpion envenomed patients and the opportune application of the scorpion antivenom in the cases that need so. 4. Promote in the hospitals and other health centers located in scorpionism endemic areas the acquisition of scorpion antivenom manufactured by the Center of Biotechnology of the Pharmacy Faculty of the Universidad Central de Venezuela. 5. Foment the study of the epidemiology, clinics and treatment of scorpionism in schools of Medicine at undergraduate level as in continuous medical education for the graduate physician. 6. Diffuse medical rules prepared by experts related to scorpion envenomation. Since the arousal of the idea to create the Civil Association Isabel Cecilia Itriago Viso approximately five months ago, its members have been devoted to diffuse their message through television and radio programs and, in press articles, and auspice of chats and conferences. It has been of particular importance the distribution of informative material, on biology of scorpions and prevention, directed to the community prepared by professor Manuel Ángel González-Sponga (Biologist, member of the National Academy of Natural, Mathematical and, Physical Sciences), and the preparation and distribution of medical rules developed by doctor Betty Omaña (Coordinator of the Graduate degree of Toxicology of the Hospital Periférico de Coche) and doctor Carlos Sevcik (Researcher of the CBB, IVIC) for the treatment of scorpion envenomation. Finally, the members of this association are aware of the work that we should carry out and the necessity to incorporate new nationwide members that understand the importance of this cause.
Publication Dates
-
Publication in this collection
16 Apr 1999 -
Date of issue
1999
