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Table 5. Causes of agrochemical and other chemical poisoning treated at
Kiambu District Hospital from 1987 to April 1990.
Age group Sex Cause of poisoning Outcome
(years) M F Suicidal Accidental Undetermined Alive Dead Total
0-5 15 6 1 6 14 21 0 21
6-10 0 2 1 0 1 2 0 2
11-20 16 15 12 2 17 31 0 31
21+ 61 18 33 2 44 71 8 79
Total 92 41 47 10 76 125 8 133
is needed to remedy the situation. The belief of the majority of the population
that there are no alternatives to pesticides calls for urgent steps to be taken to
ensure safe handling of pesticides.
The investigators, together with the district multidisciplinary team, developed
a health-education curriculum for different target groups. Teams from
the health centres in the region were identified to assist in this activity and to
integrate the curriculum into their community-health activities. Target groups
included school children, women's groups, factory workers, and the career
spray operators. Pesticide manufacturers and retailers have begun to cooperate,
especially in packaging chemicals in smaller and safer containers.
The response of the community to the health-education curriculum has been
encouraging because some of the problems are obvious. This study has
motivated people to take responsibility for their own safety. Target groups,
health centres, schools, coffee-factory workers, and all other members of the
community have adopted safe handling practices recommended in the healtheducation
program in their day-to-day activities.
Acknowledgment - We acknowledge the financial support of the
International Development Research Centre of Canada, which made this
study possible.
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Youdeowei, A.; Service, M. 1983. Pest and vector management in the tropics.
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