KATH Child Health Directorate records more domestic accidents

Dr Anthony Enimil, a paediatrician and Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Unit, told the Ghana News Agency that the incidents were on the high side.

“It is a big worry because these could easily be prevented when parents became more vigilant and kept such chemicals safe and far from the reach of the kids,” he said.

He appealed to parents to stop refilling such dangerous substances into empty Voltic plastic bottles and bottles of soft drinks.

“Children in that age group for various reasons of naivety and others get deceived by their appearance and accidentally drink them”, he said.

when he was questioned about the chances of survival of victims, Dr Enimil said, it all depended on the level of toxicity and the quantity of the substance ingested.

He, however, added that the survival rate was “very high if victims are sent immediately to a health facility for treatment”.

He said it was dangerous for parents to give palm oil to victims to induce vomiting because that could worsen the case by choking and making them breathless.

Dr Enimil said victims should always be brought to hospitals along with the original containers of the chemical ingested to give clues for effective treatment.

GNA