This is why poisoning cases have declined in Tanzania
Iringa. Incidents of poisoning have decreased by about 27 percent during the past two years, thanks to ongoing public awareness initiatives, it was revealed here yesterday.
The head of the National Poison Control Centre (NPCC), Mr Yohana Gashashy at the Chief Government Chemist Laboratory Agency (GCLA), said during the 2021/22 fiscal year, Tanzania recorded about 130,000 poisoning cases.
However, with a drop in Covid-19 incidents, which partly contributed to poisoning, the cases fell to roughly 95,000 during the 2022/23 fiscal year. The 95,000 poisoning incidents resulted in 2,000 deaths.
Mr Gashashy said though the GCLA was spearheading efforts to lower the disease and death rates resulting from poisoning incidents in Tanzania, the body was facing the challenge of accurately documenting the causes of poisonings due to disparities in the Health Information Systems (HISs) used for data collection.
“We need to raise awareness among stakeholders about preventing home poisoning, pesticide residue poisoning, and carbon monoxide poisoning,” emphasised Mr Gashashy. He called for better collaboration with the police to ensure precise recording of poisoning-related fatalities.
Mr Gashashy stressed the importance of awareness in preventing carbon monoxide poisoning, advocating for well-ventilated homes as a simple preventive measure.
He noted that many Tanzanians use charcoal and firewood for cooking and heating, increasing the risk of carbon monoxide production and associated dangers.
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In response to recent incidents in Iringa Municipality, the NPCC, alongside local authorities and healthcare professionals, is conducting educational sessions for Community Health Workers (CHWs) and local government chairpersons.
These endeavours aim to equip communities with knowledge to prevent poisoning incidents and safeguard public health. Dr Godfrey Mbangali, Chief Medical Officer of Iringa Municipality, lauded these initiatives and emphasised community involvement in disseminating preventive measures.
He highlighted cases of carbon monoxide poisoning and urged the community to utilise the provided knowledge to mitigate various poisoning incidents.
The collaboration between NPCC, local authorities, and healthcare professionals demonstrates a joint effort to tackle poisoning incidents and promote public health awareness in Iringa.
Dr Alfred Mwakalebela, Medical Officer in charge of Iringa Referral Hospital, also stressed the importance of addressing poisoning incidents, especially among teenagers, who are often vulnerable to suicide due to mistreatment and parental restrictions.
He emphasised the necessity of proactive measures to prevent such tragedies.
Dr Mwakalebela emphasised the need for a collective effort to enhance poison control measures and safeguard the well-being of Tanzanian communities.
