Go with a person who has been poisoned – they could stop breathing on the way to the health facility and you may be able to save their life on the journey.

If you find a person who has been poisoned accidentally or intentionally, apply basic life-supportive care using the ABCDE-T approach (described in Section 8.4.1 of this study session). If the poison has been absorbed through the skin, remove any contaminated clothing and wash the body with water and soap. If a chemical has been swallowed which has caused burning of the lips and throat, you can give the person frequent sips of cold water or milk, which may neutralise the poison a little bit. Then refer the person to the hospital or health centre urgently.

Last modified: Monday, 23 June 2014, 7:37 PM