DOHA: Management of poisoning was the central theme discussed at the fourth International Scientific Congress of the Middle East and North African Clinical Toxicology which concluded at Ritz Carlton hotel on Sunday.
The conference brought together physicians, pharmacists, paramedics and ambulance staff who discussed various aspects of poisoning including managing patients poisoned by medications, illegal drugs, animal venoms, household poisons, petrochemicals, as well as radiation poisoning .
Under the theme “fundamentals of clinical toxicology” the event was hosted by The Emergency Preparedness and Response Department in Supreme Council of Health, in association with Middle East and North African Clinical Toxicology Association and Hamad Medical.
The conference had over 300 delegates from 20 countries, with 15 regional toxicologists who trained in North America.
The event began with a daylong course teaching doctors and ambulance staff how to manage CBRNE (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosion) disasters. This course was brought by the United States Centers for Disease Control, and a local disaster preparation expert, Dr Mohd Alhajri — Director of Emergency Preparedness & Response Department gave a presentation on disaster preparedness in Qatar.
Keynote speaker Dr Peter Cameron, chairman of emergency medicine at HMC, discussed challenges developing toxicology services for Qatar. Dr Cameron also discussed toxicology services and poison control centers, both of which are widely available in North America, Europe, and Australia/New Zealand, and the numerous benefits that toxicology services and a poison control center would contribute to the well being of Qatar.
The conference also linked and networked key persons in different fields of medicine, ambulance care, public health, and disaster preparedness. This allows collaboration between these groups, and improves care of poisoned patients in the hospital, assists in prevention of poisoning, and assists in being prepared for poisoning and other emergencies on a large scale.The Peninsula
