Poison information centres are those, which provide immediate round the clock toxicity assessment and treatment recommendations for the effective management of poisoning cases. Poison control centres generally provide referral and management advice for poisonings, information on potential poisons and programs on poison prevention for the general public and health care professionals. Implementation of the Poison Control Centre will further enhance the ability of poison centers to improve the care of poisoned patients and reach the overall goal of reducing illness, injury and death due to poisoning. Pharmacist's roles in patient care are becoming more widely recognized by other health care professionals, health policy decision makers and the general public. A clinical pharmacist is entrusted to provide clinical preventive care, primary care, emergency services, and long term care and rehabilitative services. Participation of pharmacists is necessary to meet several of these objectives. Increasing costs and fragmentation of the health care system are well recognized, with consumers facing difficulties obtaining care in a timely fashion and then, often, from a practitioner with whom they are not familiar. Pharmacists working in emergency departments thus could provide this service, as well as other services that relate to primary care or that prevent further emergency department admissions.Poisoning is the most common cause of nonfatal accidents in the home. More than 2 million people suffer some type of poisoning each year in the United States. Drugs prescriptions, nonprescription and illegal are the most common source of serious poisonings and poisoning-related deaths. Other common poisons include gases, household products, agricultural products, plants, industrial chemicals, vitamins and foods (particularly certain species of mushrooms and fish). However, almost any substance ingested in sufficiently large quantities can be toxic.
In parts of the developing world, pesticide poisoning causes more deaths than infectious diseases; their easy availability also makes them a popular method of self harm. The prevalence of deliberate self-harm appears to be increasing, especially among younger cohorts, with the difference between men and women becoming less.
IPCS directory of poison centres: South-East Asia Region
Ahmedabad
Poisons Information Centre
National Institute of Occupational Health, Meghani Nagar
Ahmedabad 380 016
Director: Dr A. Dewan
Telephone: +91 79 286 7351
Emergency telephone: +91 79 562 1400
Fax: +91 79 286 6630
E-mail: dewan4@satyam.net.in
Cochin
Dept of Toxicology
(Incl. Poison Information & Laboratory Services )
Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences & Research
Cochin 682026, South India
Director: Dr V. V. Pillay
Telephone: +91 484 2804852 (O), +91 484 2807055 (R), 9895282388 (Cell 24 hrs)
Fax: +91 484 2802051
E-mail: mailto:toxicology@medical.amrita.edu; poisonunit@aimshospital.org
Chennai
Toxicology & IMCU Unit
Government General Hospital
Chennai
Director: Dr C.Rajendran M.D
Telephone: +91 44 536 3208 or + 91 44 536 3131 ext. 108
Fax: +91 44 538 8521
E-mail: ghpictn@vsnl.net
Web site: http://www.chennaipic.com/
Information also at http://www.whoindia.org/ and go to Environment health/Poison Prevention/Helpline
New Delhi
National Poisons Information Centre
All India Institute of Medical Sciences , Ansari Nagar
New Delhi 110 029
Telephone: +91 11 6859391
Emergency telephone: +91 11 661123
Fax: +91 11 6859391
INDONESIA
Bandung
Poison Information Health Service - West Java
Jl Pasteur No. 25
Bandung
Director: Dra Hj Sri Sulastri
Telephone: +62 (0)22 421 2800
Jakarta
National Poisons Information Centre (NPIC)
Sentra Informasi Keracunan, Badan POM/
Bidang Informasi Keracunan, Pusat Informasi Obat dan Makanan, Badan POM.
Jl. Percetakan Negara No. 23
Jakarta 10560
Head: Dr Sianipar Thomphson, MPH, MBA
Telephone: +62 21 425 0767 or +62 21 422 7875
Emergency telephone: +62 21 425 0765
Fax: +62 21 425 0765
E-mail: pusatiomker@cbn.net.id or informasi@pom.go.id
Surabaya
Poison Information Health Service - East Java
Jl Ahamad Yani No. 118
Surabaya
Director: Dra Lilik Suharti
Telephone: +62 (0)31 828 0660
Fax: +62 (0)31 828 0660
Referances:
1. IPCS directory of poison centres: South-East Asia Region
2. Kishore Gnana Sam, Modak Raj Sharma, Kafeel Ahmed Khan, Girish Thunga, Padma GM Rao, Ananth Naik Nagappa Need for Poison Information Centres in India - A Review March 2009