ORGANOPHOSPHATE POISONING IN URBAN ZIMBABWE

A total of 606 organophosphate poisoning admission incidents were recorded and analysed retrospectively at the six central hospitals of Zimbabwe. The incidents covered a period of 10 years, i.e. from 1980 to 1989, inclusively. This accounted for 12% of all poisoning admission cases recorded at these hospitals and 84% of all pesticide poisoning cases. Of these organophosphate poisoning cases, 75% (450) were suicides and or parasuicides, 21% (126) were accidental, 2% (12) were homicides and 5% (30) were cases of an undetermined nature. The mortality rate was established at 8% (48). The study revealed that the 21-30-year-old age group is significantly more prone to poisoning (42% of the total) than other age groups. The mean period of hospitalization of an organophosphate-poisoned patient was found to be 8 days (the range was 1-29 days). The mean cost of keeping a poisoned patient in hospital during that period was calculated at Z$450.00 (i.e. US$225), excluding the cost of treatment. The total number of hospitalization days was 1599 and the total cost of keeping the patients in hospital was therefore Z$89,943,75, i.e. Z$11, 242,96 per year. The most popular (utilized) first-line treatment (22% of all patients) was a combination of ipecacuanha syrup plus atropine, with atropine alone a poor second (10% of treated patients).