City strengthens awareness on dangers of poisoning

June 18, 2019 Metro BLISTT

BAGUIO CITY – The Poison Control Unit of Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC) strengthened its drive to increase awareness on the perils and dangers of poisoning in celebration of 2019 National Poison Prevention Week themed “No to Party Drugs, Say Yes to Life, Staying Away from Recreational Drugs-the anti-life of the Party”.
The National Poison Prevention Week is observed every 4th week of June by virtue of Proclamation No. 1777 signed by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
BGHMC Department of Internal Medicine Medical Officer IV Nowell Benedict Catbagan said in a forum held at the Department of Health-Cordillera (DOH-CAR) that this year ’s celebration aims to prevent the proliferation of the usage of Party Drugs in the city.
“Naging sunod-sunod po yung mga sensational na news regarding po dun sa paggamit po ng mga Party Drugs o mga Club Drugs.
Recently po this February of this year, meron po tayong balita ng isang 19 year old na female from Cebu na namatay dahil po sa alleged na paggamit ng Party Drugs na ang pangalan ay Ecstacy during the Sinulog Festival, so ito po yung gusto po namin i-drive po ngayong taon na ito pagdating po sa prevention, paggamit at yung pagproliferate ng Party Drugs na mga ito,” Catbagan said.
Catbagan also said that these kinds of drugs are extremely harmful to health and are fatal.
In line with Poison Prevention, Catbagan also gave first aid tips on the management of cases of people who intentionally or accidentally ingested harmful chemicals or drugs.
He added that the approach varies on the circumstances or if it is accidental or intentional. Considering that 85-90 percent of all poisoning cases happen at households where top agents are household cleaning products, the doctor gave a few first aid tips one can do before bringing the patient to the hospital.
Catbagan said that the first and the most important thing to bring or to do before seeking medical help is to identify the kind of exposure or the poison agents.
“Pagdating po sa mga caustics na katulad po ng bleach at mga toilet cleaners, ang una po nating gagawin o actually unang wag natin gagawin ay pasukahin ang pasyente,” Catbagan said.
He also said that inducing vomiting should be discouraged as it may cause more damage when the chemical reaches the patient’s lungs.
The patient may also drink fresh milk or raw egg whites. He said adults should drink 8-12 raw egg whites and 6-8 for kids. After which, the patient should be brought to the nearest hospital.
He also said that decontamination is needed such as removing the shirts, dentures or other things that are exposed to the chemical especially if the poison agents are pesticides.
“Meron po tayong tinatawag na thermal absorption, pwede po na tuloy-tuloy ang pagpasok ng pesticide sa katawan kung yung pesticide ay nasa damit,” he said.
Cleaning the body with soap and water is also recommended. Catbagan emphasized that the best and still the most important thing to do is to bring the patient to the nearest hospital for further treatment and management of the case.
 
Samantha Carrera, UC Intern/ABN