Apollo Centre for Poison Treatment has been opened at Bangalore to offer timely treatment for any kind of poisoning. The centre which is claimed to be the first-of-its-kind in south India is equipped to provide excellence in medical toxicology through a systematized, multi-disciplinary approach, said Dr Umapathy Panyala, COO of Apollo Hospitals, Bangalore.

Apollo pioneered the emergency services in the country with the 1066 National Network of Emergency Services manned by trained professionals devoted to this specialty, he said.

Apollo Centre for Poison Treatment (ACPT) Services is not intended to compete with National/Regional poison information centres or poison control centres but to work with them to enhance the National/Regional poison care system. The poison treatment centre provides round-the-clock Emergency Help line -1066, Pre hospital Emergency Medical Service providers, Stockpile of recommended antidotes, support from critical ancillary services like Emergency Medicine, Critical care team, Internal Medicine, Psychiatry and Lab services.

The facility was inaugurated by Karnataka Health Minister R Ashok.

According to the Apollo Centre for Poison Treatment, most deaths due to poisoning occurred due to lack of good infrastructure in the neighbourhood. Higher suicide incidents have occurred in the age group of 14 to 40 yrs. Up to 53 per cent of these deaths can be avoided with timely intervention by a good qualified general medical practitioner. ]

Poisoning by chemical, biological toxin and drug is, unfortunately, a growing trend across the world. The massive increase in the availability and use of chemicals including pharmaceuticals during the past decades has increased the risk to human life posed by their exposure.

Statistics on consumption of poison substances by the victims indicate that household agents like (Phenol, rat poison) account for 43.1 per cent, drug reaction 19.2 per cent, Agricultural Pesticide (13.8 per cent), industrial chemical (9.4 per cent), Insect and snake bites 4.8 per cent, mushroom and other alkaloids 2.1 per cent and Drug abuse + alcohol 5.0 per cent. Around 89 per cent consumption of poison or harmful substances is through oral administration.