JEDDAH: There were 41 cases of chemical poisoning, including 11 caused by the inhalation of the industrial pesticide aluminum phosphide, during the second half of 2007, said Sami Badawood, head of Health Affairs in Jeddah.
The number of chemical poisoning jumped to 225 in 2008 — 102 of these were due to aluminum phosphide inhalation and the majority of those affected were children, said Badawood in a written statement.
Badawood said the Health Affairs Department has inspected 120 stores and documented a number of violations, which have been transferred to relevant departments for further action.
He added that concerned government bodies are cooperating with each other to raise awareness among the public about the proper application of pesticides.
About 400 kg of a deadly pesticide was seized last month and 10 companies were found to be selling the substance illegally.
The inspections of local merchants by municipal officials began after a Feb. 23 incident at Basateen Village compound where two Danish children succumbed to phosphine gas poisoning after a licensed pest controller applied aluminum phosphide in an adjoining residential unit.
This has been one of several reported fatalities in the Kingdom attributed to the use of this and other pesticides in residential buildings. Since July 2007, Arab News has reported 16 fatalities in Jeddah alone.
Jeddah authorities have launched their own awareness campaign, distributing leaflets at schools, mosques, hospitals, malls and publishing notices in newspapers.
The infiltration of aluminum phosphide into the end-consumer market has raised concerns by the authorities because vendors are repackaging the poison, separating it from instructions and warning labels, and selling this compound illegally.
