Mortality from traditional-medicine poisoning: A new perspective from analysing admissions and deaths at Ga-Rankuwa Hospital

W. J. Du Plooy*, M. R. Jobson, E. Osuch, L. Mathibe, P. Tsipa

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalShort surveypeer-review

11 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

WE REPORT ON THE MORTALITY FROM traditional-medicine poisoning of patients admitted at Ga-Rankuwa Hospital. Data from three specific periods, 1981-1985, 1987-1992 and 1996-2000, were analysed. A toxicology textbook stated that 50% of deaths among black South Africans were due to traditional medicines, but this figure was based on a journal article that was grossly misinterpreted. Our results show that the mortality from traditional-medicine poisoning in patients admitted to Ga-Rankuwa Hospital has decreased from, on average, six patients annually for the period 1981-1985 to one patient per year for the period 1996-2000.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)70
Number of pages1
JournalSouth African Journal of Science
Volume97
Issue number3-4
Publication statusPublished - 2001

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