A child aged three from Chisinau was admitted to the hospital after he took several swallows of a substance used to unblock pipes. Eva Gudumac, head of the Pediatric Surgery Division of the Scientific Research Institute “Mother and Child Center”, has told Info-Prim Neo that now the child is breathing through a nasal tube. If his state worsens in a month, he will be operated on the esophagus. The child found the substance in the bathroom. The several swallows burned his esophagus and stomach. “The child had stayed in the surgical reanimatology section. In parallel with receiving medical treatment, he had two blood cleaning operations. A nasal tube was introduced afterward. Now he is undergoing costly therapy,” said Eva Gudumac. In a month, the child will have esophagogastroscopy. He may need to wear the nasal tube for 2-3 months a year. If the situation worsens, his esophagus will have to be replaced. “It is a very expensive hospital and home treatment,” stated the doctor. She also said that such cases happen frequently. Children who swallow toxic substances are hospitalized weekly. “The parents must be precautious and hide the detergents and other toxic substances from children so as to prevent similar incidents. Even if the children survive after drinking such substances, they suffer physically and psychologically and become more agitated and nervous,” said Eva Gudumac. According to the Ministry of Health, poisoning is the main cause of death among children aged 1-5 in Moldova, alongside traumas. Through the campaign “A danger-free home for your child”, the Ministry recommended keeping all the toxic substances in places that are inaccessible to children and not putting them in jars, juice containers or pots for storing food. As many as 62 children died from poisoning last year, while more than 2,000 children were admitted to the hospital in a serious condition after getting poisoned.