THE Ministry of Public Health (MPH) is seeking to establish poison control centres in various areas across the country, in an effort to reduce the number of suicide cases and monitor poisonous or hazardous substances.Speaking to members of the media at an MPH end-of-year press conference last week, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Shamdeo Persaud disclosed that the MPH is currently in the process of identifying locations to establish facilities in Berbice, Demerara and Essequibo.

“We are seeking to develop these centres across the country to not only monitor the substances coming into the country, but also to help persons who come into contact with them. A system will be (put) in place so that they (would not) only receive help physically, but can be guided via telephone in order to deal with such an incident,” said the CMO, while highlighting that these centres are to be established and become operational by mid-2016.

Antidotes
Further, importers of these substances will be required to provide the various antidotes to the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board, which will be partnering with the poison control centres. The antidotes can then be duplicated and distributed to the various centres.

Funding for the undertaking will come from the Pesticides Control Board and will include procurement of the communication equipment and other necessary items, and training for relevant operators.

A poison control centre is a medical facility that is able to immediately provide free expert treatment, and advice and assistance over the telephone, in case of persons being exposed to poisonous or hazardous substances.

Considering Guyana’s high rate of suicide, the CMO explained, the operations of such centres across the country could help curb such incidents, or at least reduce the number of successful suicides by immediately providing life-saving information for suicide attempts.