Experts tout enhanced education on poison effects

IRINGA: IRINGA Municipal Medical Officer, Dr Godfrey Mbangali has urged local leaders and community health workers to educate the public about the effects of poison to protect people’s health and reduce deaths caused by poison.

Dr Mbangali stated this recently when officiating the opening of training for street chairpersons, and health and environment officers on controlling incidents as a result of poison. The training, which was organised by the Government Chemist Laboratory Authority (GCLA), was held in Iringa Region.

“I urge participants of this training to be good ambassadors in reducing and controlling cases of poison at your workplaces, surrounding communities and other places. “We should ensure that we are ready all the time because cases of poison are an emergency, so your readiness in the provision of services or information to victims of poison would lead to the right services,” Dr Mbangali said.

He further advised them to cooperate with the National Poison Control Centre, especially on issues of carbon monoxide. On his part, Mr Yohana Goshashy, an official from the GCLA who is in charge of the National Poison Control Centre, urged the citizens to take precautionary measures and protect themselves from poison, especially the carbon monoxide produced from the burning charcoal.

He advised people not to keep burning charcoal stoves inside their bedrooms when sleeping at night as well as consider building houses with enough ventilation.

One of the health workers from Kilosa Ward, Ms Khadija Mili, thanked the GCLA for providing education about poison in Iringa Municipality, saying the cases of poison are avoidable, hence they were ready to offer education on controlling cases of poison in the public.