Chronicle Editor
Bongani Ndlovu, Online Reporter
THE illegal selling of rat and cockroach poison on the streets is said to be fueling rampant suicide cases as the chemicals are cheap and readily available, a senior official has said.
This was revealed by Dr Nemache Mawere, Ingutsheni Central Hospital Chief Medical Officer on Thursday on the sidelines of the Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Disaster Risk Management Workshop held in Figtree.
Dr Mawere was presenting on mental health and Disaster Risk Management.
When one walks through the streets of Bulawayo, loud speakers will be blaring the messages “Umuthi wamagundwane obulala khonaphokhonapho” as vendors advertise various poisons to deal with household pests such as rats, mice, ants and cockroaches at almost every corner.
It is this unregulated selling of the products that Dr Mawere believes is the cause of suicides in the province.
“It’s a big problem because people don’t just kill themselves. It starts off with issues of depression, and then they feel hopeless, helpless, and worthless. So, if you have those thoughts the next thing is to commit suicide.
“Then you are walking in the street and you are saying what is the best way to die and someone is selling cheap rat or cockroach poison in the streets. Obviously, you will buy them to aid your death,” said Dr Mawere.
He called for the province’s Civil Protection Unit to clamp down on the selling of insecticides on the streets.
“I think we should have some sort of control over how people can sell these things which can be used to kill themselves. Obviously, one can go into a shop and buy the insecticides as this is controlled, whereas in the streets it’s not controlled. The substances are very toxic and kill you very fast and they are very cheap. These are used by people to kill themselves and they are readily available,” said Dr Mawere.
He said most of the cases of suicide are of people who have taken either rat or cockroach poison.
“We can’t tell the sources but what I know is that people are using a lot of rat poison and cockroach poison, which is definitely available in the streets. In the shops, it’s very expensive very few people can afford it. We can’t say 100 percent, but the selling of rat and cockroach poison on the streets for me must be something that is controlled,” said Dr Mawere
Online Reporter