The Ministry of Health and the Pesticides Control Board today held a one-day workshop to train representatives from various organizations on properly recording and analyzing health problems resulting from pesticide intoxication.
While there may seem to be very few cases of pesticide intoxication recorded every year in reality, the low figures are attributed to the lack of reporting and improper recording. Principal Public Health Inspector Godswell Flores says that today's training will address these problems.
Godswell Flores, Principal Public Health Inspector
"The intention of the workshop is to empower the officers to be able to better gather data and henceforth put measures in place for the prevention and control of acute pesticide intoxication in Belize. There is underreporting of acute pesticide intoxication in Belize. It is estimated that there could be 3,000 to 4,000 cases of acute pesticide intoxication happening in Belize but they are not reported. On average about 60 cases are reported per year."
Flores says pesticide intoxication vary from mild to severe effects and can also cause death.