NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — After nearly two months, Baxterhas sent out the first shipment of IV solutions, post Hurricane Helene damage to the plant.
Health officials at Riverside Health are patiently waiting for the first shipment to come in.
"What we're hoping for and anticipating with the shipment from that North Carolina plant, that Baxter will increase the allocation," said Kemi Olatunji, senior director of pharmacy services at Riverside Health. "Especially for the fluids that are in short supply 60 to 100 percent hopefully in the next couple of weeks," he added.
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While waiting, Riverside has continued to help their patients by assessing their needs.
"Assessing patients that qualify for oral hydration and having them use oral hydration verses using the IV. That’s a good example of how safety has been maintained and quality of care is being maintained which conserves the efforts for patients actual needs for the IV," Olatunji added.
The first shipment is expected in Hampton Roads in the next week or two. Until then Health officials at Riverside plan to keep a close watch on supplies.
"We’re going to keep doing that until the manufacturer lines fully back open and we actually have product in our hand that is sustained for a long period of time before we scale back," Olatunji said.
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News 3, reached out to Children's Hospital of the King's Daughter and Sentara officials.
CHKD shared they have not been impacted by Baxter's temporary shutdown. Sentara officials share they only use a small portion of what Baxter offers and have been able to maintain with out a real impact.
