Rat poison suicides a concern

Are suicide attempts using rat poison going under the radar?

Health officials are reporting on more patients being admitted to ICU wards after ingesting a pesticide used for killing rats, presumably with the intention of ending their lives.

According to the department, the poison Terbufos has been named, which is a tasteless, odourless, and fast-acting poison.

Joanne Bruins, specialist physician from Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital said, “Our resources are so constrained that this is an added burden, which is quickly becoming an epidemic flying under the radar. It stretches all life-care resources to the limit.

“This has been an issue for years, and is increasingly becoming more severe with no sign of awareness or decrease in the number of hospitalisations.”

She said limiting access to these poisons would help prevent them from occurring.

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