SRINAGAR, Aug 14: Indian Medical Association (IMA) in association with BASF India Ltd & National Poisons Information Centre (NPIC), AIIMS- New Delhi conducted an exclusive virtual Continued Medical Education (CME) programme for more than 360 doctors and medical students.
A spokesman said that the objective of the training/awareness programme was to provide a refresher on the diagnosis & treatment protocols and support the medical fraternity on handling and managing incidents of accidental agrochemical poisoning, as per approved protocols. Agriculture, with its allied sectors, is the largest source of livelihoods in India. 70 percent of India’s rural households still depend primarily on agriculture for their livelihood and with more than 100 million farmers in India there are instances of accidental agrochemical poisoning incidents.
Doctors and medical staff at the primary health centers and local hospitals are the front-line respondents for managing and tackling such unfortunate incidents. Therefore, it is imperative that accurate identification, proper diagnosis and prompt treatment is done within the first few hours of any incident.
Dr. Debabrata Kanungo, a global expert on medico toxicology, human health risk assessment and food safety conducted the in-depth training. Through specific case studies he explained the protocols on handling various poisoning scenarios and the corresponding treatment. The training also offered vital information on the principles of diagnosis, management & treatment of accidental agrochemical poisoning.
Highlighting the importance of continued medical education, Dr Anil Kumar Nayak, Honorary Secretary General, IMA (HQ) said, “Learning is a never-ending process, staying updated with the latest advancement in medical sciences is critical for medical practitioners and this training program by IMA will support doctors in diagnosis & treatment of accidental agrochemical poisoning incidents.
At IMA, we extend our appreciation to BASF for proposing and supporting this training on an important topic impacting the farmers in our country. As a responsible crop protection solution provider, it highlights BASF’s commitment towards farmer safety.”
“At BASF, we are extremely honoured to continue to be called to support the esteemed Indian Medical Association (IMA) & National Poisons Information Centre (NPIC) as they serve our farmers in the event of any unfortunate incidents. It takes a concerted effort for everyone to support our farmers as the do the biggest job on earth to provide us with fresh, affordable produce. On our part, BASF endeavors to educate farmers on responsible, safe and ethical management aspects through our ‘Suraksha Hamesha’ initiative. We sincerely thank the IMA and NPIC for involving us in their training sessions,” said Rajendra Velagala, Business Director, Agricultural Solutions, South Asia, BASF.
Poisoning is a medical emergency and requires immediate treatment. In case of any query related to first-aid-measures, management or any other aspect of poisoning, one can telephonically contact National Poisons Information Centre (NPIC), Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. This centre runs 24X7 and provides information to treating physicians as well as to the general public.
BASF has successfully partnered India’s progress for more than 130 years. As of the end of 2022, BASF had 2,342 employees in India with 8 production sites and 42 offices throughout the country. The Innovation Campus Mumbai and the Coatings Technical Center in Mangalore are both part of BASF’s global technology platform. In 2022, BASF registered sales of approximately €2.7 billion to customers in India. Further information is available on www.basf.com/in.
