Aspen strengthens support for Poisons Information Centre

The University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Poisons Information Centre, based at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, had a special meet-and-greet with Dr Stavros Nicolaou, the group senior executive at Aspen Pharmacare on Tuesday, 8 October. Aspen Pharmacare has been a key supporter of the Poisons Information Centre’s Helpline throughout 2024.

The event, held at the hospital, highlighted the critical role that the Poisons Information Helpline plays in South Africa’s healthcare system. Dr Nicolaou reaffirmed Aspen’s deep commitment to the centre’s mission and the important role it plays in providing life-saving toxicology information.

“It was a great pleasure today to visit the UCT Poisons Information Centre. Aspen pledged a significant sum earlier this year to fund the helpline, which serves a very important purpose in our country, particularly for those patients who either ingest a poison accidentally or are exposed to something as basic as a snake bite or a scorpion sting, Nicolaou said.

“All of the selfless and committed staff I met today at the Poison Information Centre serve a very necessary role societally and also in the healthcare system.”

He added: “There’s probably no easier way of saving a life than if you know how to treat an overdose or a snake bite, and if you know how to administer the antidote.”

The Poisons Information Helpline essential role in SA

The Poisons Information Helpline is South Africa’s first line of defence against poisoning incidents, and is collaboratively run by the Stellenbosch University and UCT Poisons Information Centres.  According to Dr Cindy Stephen, the head of the UCT centre, it receives over 1 000 calls each month, providing critical advice on treating poison cases. The centre has seen an increase in calls from across the country, reflecting its vital role in saving lives.

“In 2023, we received an average of 1 134 calls per month, with almost 50% of enquiries related to medication overdoses,” Dr Stephen said.

"We’ve recorded over 111 000 poison-related cases in our database since inception. Poisoning from medications was a significant concern, with 56% of intentional self-harm cases and 28% involving children under five​.”

Nicolaou underlined the value of having the helpline readily available for healthcare professionals and the public.

“It would be a tragedy if you didn’t have a poison information helpline and centre because, in many instances, even healthcare professionals would not know what to do. This is a service that is readily available to both professionals and the public, and above all, it saves lives, and no cost can be attached to saving a life,” he said.

Unique poisoning challenges in SA

South Africa faces a unique set of poisoning challenges due to socio-economic conditions, environmental factors, and cultural practices. Pesticide poisoning, traditional medicine toxicity, snakebites, and substance abuse are common issues that the helpline deals with regularly. These factors often affect rural areas and under-resourced communities, where access to immediate medical care is limited​.

“Poisoning in children under five remains a significant concern, with mortality rates 15 times higher in low-income communities compared to more affluent areas,” Stephen said.

In light of this, the helpline provides critical expertise in diagnosing and treating these diverse poisoning cases, helping to bridge the healthcare gap in such communities.

Sustainability and future goals

Despite its crucial role, the helpline faces funding challenges, particularly in maintaining its after-hours service. Historically funded by various donors, including Aspen, the helpline’s budget shortfall for 2024/2025 will require additional contributions from private and public sectors to ensure uninterrupted service​.

Stephen and her team have been working on forging partnerships with other health institutions and private companies to sustain the centre’s operations. They’re also pursuing long-term sustainability strategies through potential public–private partnerships to ensure its life-saving services remain available to those in need.

“It would be tragic if this essential service were to be discontinued due to a lack of funding.”

Looking ahead

Nicolaou indicated that this support is likely to continue into the future. “It was a great pleasure for Aspen this year to partner with the UCT Poisons Information Centre and helpline. We’ve done this for 12 months, and we will seriously look at doing it again next year, all in the interest of maintaining this very important and necessary public service, not only for patients but more broadly, for society.”