Saudi Gazette Over the past one year 5,110 poisoning cases were reported to The Regional Poison Control Center (PCC) in Dammam. This means having 14 poisoning cases every day. The cases have been treated in various hospitals and health centers in the Eastern Province. The Director of Dammam Poison Control Center, Dr. Maha K. Almazrou'a, revealed that 45.8% of all the incidences of poisoning were a result of adverse reactions to medications. Among the 5,110 people who suffered from toxicity, 37% required hospitalization for more than 24 hours. One of the main tasks of the Poison Control Center is to create public awareness on toxicity in household items and prescriptions which effect the health of people and young children. The study at the PCC found that 28.5% of reported toxicity cases involved children under the age of six years. “The most widespread and most common cause of poisoning is medical drug toxicity and young children and the elderly make up the majority of the victims. Many people are unaware of the dangers of these medicines on small children. They keep their medications in places at home, where it is easily reached by children,” said Dr. Almazrou'a. She reported that in some cases proper treatment to save the poisoned child slowed down because parents failed to give the exact name of the chemical, time it was ingested, child's weight, a clear description of all symptoms and other important details. To prevent poisoning accidents, Dr. Almazrou'a advises, “Keep all your medications in their original packaging just in case you suffer from an overdose or unwanted reaction, you can easily read the active chemicals to the hospital staff when you seek treatment. It is essential to store all medication, even Panadol, in a high cupboard that should be kept locked at all times. “Never liken medications and pills to candies to convince an ill child to swallow her medication because that will confuse her and lead her to think that medications are tasty and harmless. Preferably, adults should take their medications out of the sight of young children, because they naturally imitate their elders when they play. They may try to swallow their parents' or grandparents' pills, which could have devastating side effects on their small bodies.” According to PCC, poisoning is considered to be the second or third leading cause of unintentional injury-death worldwide. Over the past decade, there has been a significant rise in unintentional poisoning deaths in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom. In case of a poisoning emergency, immediately seek medical attention and call 0553880087 for assistance from a toxicology specialist. __
