Govt to further expand household poisoning awareness campaign

GEORGE TOWN, April 7 (Bernama) -- The government will further expand the household poisoning awareness campaign at the national level to enhance the public’s awareness of the high percentage of accidents that occurred at home.

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said that based on statistics provided by the National Poison Centre from 1994 to 2018, 93 per cent of the cases occurred at home.

“These poisoning incidents are not just occurring at the factories and farms, but the statistics show that the highest number of cases did take place at home, hence, we will expand the campaign across the country and at all levels,” he told reporters after officiating the Penang State Safe Homes carnival at the compound of Al-Huda Mosque, Sungai Ara here today.

Saifuddin said he would discuss the matter (household poisoning) with Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister Yeo Bee Yin and Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad in efforts to spread the awareness campaign.

“We will highlight this issue so that the local community will be more careful when handling toxic materials at home,” he said.

Based on the statistic, 66 per cent of poisoning cases recorded involving household chemical products (33 per cent) and medicines (33 per cent), while 46 per cent of the cases involving children aged one to nine.

Meanwhile, detergents and cleaning products contributed to 54 per cent of chemical poisoning incidents at home.

On a separate development, Saifuddin, when commenting on the Rantau by-election, said the party would intensify the campaign.

“Now we are in the second half of the election campaign period and we will intensify our efforts, among others, by meeting the voters face-to-face, enhancing the campaign digitally,” said Saifuddin, who is also PKR secretary-general.

The Rantau by-election on April 13 will witness a four-cornered fight between Pakatan Harapan’s candidate Dr S. Streram, Barisan Nasional’s Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and two independent candidates, housewife R. Malarvizhi and former lecturer Mohd Nor Yassin.

-- BERNAMA