This archive report was first published on 30 July 2019.
Published on July 30, 2019, a study on medicine revealed that the basic principles of biomedical sciences, pathology, and clinical medicine are taught to all doctors worldwide, regardless of country, race, or economic background.
However, training programs may incorporate additional treatment options based on their background. For instance, in China, herbal medicine is a part of the curriculum, while in the US, Doctors of Osteopathy receive further training on osteopathic manipulative medicine.
Despite the similarities in clinical medicine, exposure to diseases varies depending on physical location. This highlights the importance of understanding epidemiology, the branch of medicine that addresses the incidence, distribution, and possible control of diseases.
In Africa, we are more comfortable treating diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, and leishmaniasis, but not necessarily Alzheimer's disease.
Kenya's diverse geography, culture, and economic activities create a unique epidemiological background for its people. This was evident in a tragic incident at a hospital where a family of five was admitted with organophosphate poisoning.
The family, consisting of a father, mother, and three children, was admitted through the emergency department. As year four students, the author and their colleagues were allocated manual responsibilities, such as taking blood samples and monitoring infusions.
Despite the team's efforts to stabilize the family, the little ones struggled, and at three o'clock in the night, one of the children passed away. The next morning, the 10-year-old boy also succumbed to the poisoning.
The hospital's population served by cattle keepers, who used organophosphate insecticide extensively, contributed to the high incidence of poisoning. The poison was ubiquitous in homes, and its availability and low cost led to its abuse and accidental contact.
Organophosphate poisoning acts on the body by inhibiting special enzymes necessary for the function of the parasympathetic nervous system, affecting various bodily functions, including heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration.
Accidental poisoning is extremely easy, and awareness is key. The author shares a personal experience with Collins, who was brought in with diarrhoea, initially suspected to be food poisoning, but was later found to have absorbed the poison through the skin after his brother poured insecticide into his plaster cast.
