Poison Control Center: 15,000 consultations over three years

Abdul Latif Al-Omeir to “Al-Rai”:

- Methanol, carbon monoxide, pesticides, and industrial gases are among the most dangerous causes of poisoning.

- Inducing vomiting in a poisoned person is a major error that may exacerbate the severity of the condition.

- Early intervention reduces complications and prevents unnecessary hospital admissions.

- Antidotes should be available according to a national plan and with continuous updates to the stockpile.

- Some antidotes are expensive, while others are stored in specific locations.

- Message to the community: Prevention begins with safe storage and immediate contact when poisoning is suspected.

As the risks of exposure to chemicals, medications, and cleaning agents within homes continue to rise, the Kuwait Poison Control Center continues to play a pivotal role in protecting public health by providing specialized medical consultations and rapid intervention in poisoning cases around the clock.

Since its opening in 2023, the center has become a national reference to support hospitals and the public, recording approximately 15,000 consultations and contributing to saving many lives and reducing complications through early diagnosis and proper medical guidance. The center’s director, Dr. Abdul Latif Al-Omeir, highlights the key operational indicators, the most common types of poisoning, future challenges, and his preventive messages for citizens and residents.

In an interview with “Al-Rai,” Al-Omeir emphasizes that young children are among the most vulnerable groups to accidental poisoning incidents due to their curiosity, tendency to put objects in their mouths, and inability to recognize danger, especially when medications or cleaning products are left within their reach. He notes that the most severe cases among teenagers and adults are sometimes linked to intentional exposure resulting from the misuse of certain substances. The following are the details of the interview:

• What are the main tasks performed by the Kuwait Poison Control Center, and what is its role in protecting public health?

Its role includes assessing the severity of exposure, guiding treatment and monitoring cases, supporting the availability of antidotes, tracking unusual patterns and reports, participating in responses to chemical incidents, and engaging in awareness and scientific research. Through these efforts, the center contributes to protecting patients, reducing unnecessary interventions, and enabling the early detection of risks affecting public health.

Common cases include drug exposures, particularly among children due to accidental ingestion, as well as exposure to cleaning products, household chemicals, and gases such as carbon monoxide, pesticides, and other chemical substances, along with bites and stings from venomous creatures. The center also handles more complex cases, such as intentional poisoning, occupational exposures, and incidents involving multiple individuals.

The number of consultations received by the center has shown a clear increase since it began operations, rising from approximately 2,000 consultations in 2023 to nearly 4,000 in 2024, and then to 6,500 consultations in 2025.

This does not necessarily mean that poisoning incidents themselves have doubled to the same extent; rather, it largely reflects increased awareness among the community and health professionals regarding the center, the expanded use of the hotline, improved reporting, alongside seasonal increases in certain exposures, such as carbon monoxide poisoning during winter.

Young children are among the most vulnerable groups to accidental incidents due to curiosity, putting substances in their mouths, and an inability to distinguish danger, especially when medications or cleaning products are left within their reach. Conversely, the most severe cases among teenagers and adults are sometimes linked to intentional exposure through the misuse of certain substances. Additionally, the elderly are prone to medication errors due to polypharmacy or repeated dosing.

• Do you recommend inducing vomiting in a poisoned person, or are there cases where this is contraindicated?

We do not recommend inducing vomiting at home in any case of poisoning. Doing so can lead to the substance entering the lungs or repeated passage of caustic materials through the esophagus, which may cause choking or serious complications, particularly with petroleum products and caustic detergents, or when there is a decreased level of consciousness or seizures. The therapeutic decision depends on the substance, dose, time elapsed, and the patient’s condition, and must be made by specialists.

The severity of poisoning does not depend solely on the name of the substance, but rather on the dose, route of exposure, and speed of initiating treatment. Among the high-risk cases we manage are toxic alcohols such as methanol, carbon monoxide, certain pesticides and industrial gases, medications affecting the heart or nervous system, caustic substances, and some animal venoms.

• What is the Center’s role in managing snake and scorpion bites or plant poisoning?

The Center assesses the type of exposure, symptoms, and severity, and directs patients toward appropriate first aid, examinations, monitoring, and the need for antivenom. It also helps prevent harmful practices such as applying a tourniquet at the bite site, sucking out the venom, or tightly binding the affected limb. In cases of plant poisoning, we work to identify the plant species, the part ingested, the quantity consumed, and the symptoms. We may request a clear photograph to assist in identification.

The Center collaborates with sectors of the Ministry of Health and hospitals to determine the national need for antitoxins, setting priorities based on the types of anticipated poisonings, their severity, and the urgency of treatment. Some antitoxins are expensive, and others are stored in specific locations depending on their nature, rarity of use, and storage requirements.

The Center implements and participates in campaigns, lectures, and workshops targeting schools, universities, the general public, and healthcare professionals. An example is the “Stay Aware” campaign at The Avenues Mall, which involved medical and pharmacy students after training and supervision by the Center. The campaign covered the risks of medications, detergents, gases, plants, lead, and bites and stings, as well as raising awareness about the hotline.

• How many cases has the Center managed, or how many reports has it received during the first half of this year?

The number of registered consultations from January through the end of last June amounted to approximately 3,000, while the total number of consultations since the Center’s opening in 2023 reached 15,000.

However, these tools do not replace clinical assessment by specialists. Our approach is to introduce these tools in a thoughtful and safe manner, ensuring data confidentiality, verifying accuracy, and linking them to a reliable national information system. The Center is also working on several projects, including analyzing consultation patterns and therapeutic interventions, studying methanol poisoning outbreaks and outcomes, researching pediatric drug poisoning, evaluating the use of certain treatments and antitoxins, and analyzing poisoning cases requiring critical care. Additional projects include testing certain consumer and traditional products, and studying environmental and occupational exposures.

Al-Omeir noted that among the most common mistakes made by families in the event of home poisoning are attempting to induce vomiting, giving milk, lemon juice, or any folk remedy without medical guidance, or delaying contact with the Center under the pretext of waiting for symptoms to appear. Other errors include transferring detergents or pesticides into water or beverage containers, discarding the original packaging that helps identify the substance, or giving a child medication using an unclean or unsterilized household spoon.

Al-Awami emphasized the priority of removing the poisoned individual from the source of exposure without endangering the rescuer, ensuring breathing and consciousness, and immediately contacting the Kuwait Poison Control Center or emergency services. In cases of severe symptoms following skin or eye contact, contaminated clothing should be removed and the affected area washed with water according to the type of substance. If a gas has been inhaled, the victim should be moved to fresh air if it is safe to do so. It is also essential to retain the name or container of the substance, noting the quantity and time of exposure, and to avoid giving anything by mouth before receiving medical guidance.

Al-Awami viewed the establishment of a national database as a necessity rather than merely a statistical project. It enables the identification of the most vulnerable substances, demographics, and regions; the early detection of sudden spikes and outbreaks; the evaluation of treatment and prevention efficacy; and the determination of needs for antitoxins and training. Furthermore, it provides a scientific basis for decision-making, legislation, and targeted awareness campaigns, while necessitating strict adherence to data governance and confidentiality.

Al-Awami offered advice on the safe storage of medications and chemicals at home, stating that all drugs and chemicals should be kept in their original containers, in a high, locked cabinet, away from food and out of children’s reach. Detergents and pesticides should never be transferred to water or juice bottles, cleaning products should not be mixed, and doses should not be left on tables or beside beds. Unused or expired medications must be disposed of safely, and labels should be read before each use.

Al-Awami clarified that reports of poisoning peak in winter due to carbon monoxide inhalation from charcoal stoves used in tents. In summer, reports are typically related to snakebites, the most dangerous of which is the “Umm Jeneeb” (horned viper), as well as scorpion stings.