Deadly battle against drugs in Pretoria North
A man was rushed to hospital after he apparently overdosed on drugs.
Corlia Kruger
A man who apparently overdosed on drugs was rushed to hospital on Thursday night.
At around 19:30 Pretoria-North sector paramedics rushed to the park between Jopie Fourie and Wonderboom streets where the man was found.
“He was transported to Steve Biko Hospital,” confirmed a paramedic on scene, Jacques Pienaar.
Earlier a resident in the area alerted the community policing forum (CPF) and paramedics who rushed to the park.
It was suspected the unknown man had overdosed on drugs.
Although Pienaar could not confirm this, he said that drug-related problems in the north remained a problem.
“It is a war we are busy losing,” he said. “We get at least three to four calls a week to drug-related emergencies.”
Drug overdoses are not always fatal but are very harmful and can cause long-term problems such as permanent damage to organs.
Every drug user is at risk of overdosing.
The most common drugs that people overdose on are often not hard to come by.
Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs can as easily kill or be harmful to people as heroin and cocaine.
According to 12 Keys Rehab (12keysrehab.com) signs that a person might have overdosed include a range of symptoms like: seizures, severe head or chest pains, difficulty breathing or even losing consciousness.
There are no tell-tale signs however. Symptoms often differ depending on which drug the person used.
If someone suspected a person of being under the influence of drugs, paramedics advise they take immediate action and call for help.
The concerned residents who saw and reported the emergency at the park in Pretoria North, were thanked by sector policing for keeping them informed and helping to save a life.
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