More than 250 children younger than five were hospitalized with drug poisoning so far this year. One-two children need daily emergency medical care for this reason, the head of the Mother and Child Center’s emergency admissions section Victor Scarevnea has told IPN. The most recent case of drug poisoning took place on July 8 in Cahul, where a two-year-old girl swallowed psychotropic pills.

Contacted by IPN, the head of the emergency admissions section of the Cahul District Hospital Oleg Craciun said that according to the parents, the girl was left unsupervised for only a moment. In this period, she found pills on the table and swallowed several. The child was rushed to the hospital, where she underwent gastric lavage. Her state is now rated as medium grave. Such pills are very dangerous for children and poisoning with them can lead to mental disorders.

Victor Scarevnea, of the Mother and Child Center, said that drug pinioning is one of the most frequent causes for which the children younger than five are hospitalized. In order to avoid such cases among children, the medicines should be kept in places that are inaccessible to them. When the parents suspect or find out that the child took pills, they should take him to the hospital immediately.

According to a study made within the Moldovan –Swiss project REPEMOL – “Regionalization of the pediatric emergency and intensive care services in Moldova”, only 24.5% of those who look after children are aware of the risks posed by noxious substances, including drugs, to children.