Acute Poisoning in Children Admitted to Two Tertiary Hospitals in Harare, Zimbabwe

Poisoning in children is a significant public health concern globally. It represents an important cause of morbidity and mortality in children and adolescents. This study was designed to document types of ingested poisons, the presentation, and outcomes of childhood poisoning at two tertiary hospitals in Harare, Zimbabwe. A hospital-based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from March 2019 to June 2020. Data on socio-demographic status, types of poison, clinical assessment, and outcome were collected through an interviewer-administered questionnaire and patients' records. A total of 177 children were admitted with poisoning during the study period, of whom 59.3% were male. The majority (75.1%) were below 6 years of age. Pesticide poisoning was the most common exposure (31.1%). Most of the poisoning cases were accidental (84.7%) and oral ingestion was the primary route (97.7%). According to the poison severity score (PSS), 63.2% of cases were minor and 3.4% were severe. Gastrointestinal symptoms were the most frequent presentation. Two children (1.1%) were admitted into the ICU, 170 (96%) fully recovered, 2 (1.1%) were discharged with sequalae, and 3 (1.7%) died. The three children who died had taken pesticides: one unknown pesticide, aluminum phosphide, and organophosphate (diazinon), and the case fatality rate for the study was 1.7%. Acute poisoning is a significant preventable cause of morbidity in children. Pesticides were the most common cause of poisoning and mortality. The majority of the poisoning was unintentional and occurred mostly in male children below 6 years of age.