Paraquat poisoning: 23 out of 26 die at KMC; how to save life?

Kottayam: 23 out of 26 patients who sought treatment at the Kottayam Medical College (KMC) hospital for paraquat poisoning had died in the last six months. This includes cases of suicide as well as accidental ingestion of the poison while handling the pesticide. Meanwhile, the authorities said that most of the patients have come from the areas close to the Tamil Nadu border in Idukki.

Paraquat had been banned in Kerala since 2011. However, it was available in Tamil Nadu. In 2022, the High Court lifted the ban. Pesticides containing the deadly Paraquat are widely used in farms and fields here. Doctors say that it is impossible to save the life of the victim if as little as 15 ml of paraquat reaches the body.

Unable to detect
Doctors in the general medicine department note that patients often visit with symptoms similar to those of rat fever or other contagious diseases. Other than the burns inside the mouth, there wouldn’t be any prominent symptoms in the initial days. Some people might vomit too. However, gradually, internal organs like the kidneys and liver stop functioning. The patient often reaches the hospital only at this critical stage. The poison affects the lungs only in the last stage.

The poison that reaches the lungs breaks down and turns oxygen into a poison. The patient cannot be given oxygen externally at this stage. The doctors say that such patients could stay alive for up to 42 days in critical condition. But, they could die quickly if the amount of poison is high.

What is paraquat?
Paraquat is a poison contained in pesticides to destroy weeds in rubber farms, coffee and tea estates. It is sometimes used at homes to clear thickly grown weeds and bushes.

Availability
Although an agriculture officer’s prescription is mandatory, paraquat is still sold without one. “Most people realise it only when their condition worsens. There is a slight chance for survival if the patient is admitted to the hospital in the initial days itself,” said Dr TR Radha, head of the department of medicine, Medical College, Kottayam.