PANJIM: The recent death of a cycling enthusiast who according to police DSR reports consumed “Ratol at home” has yet
again brought the focus sharply back on why this deadly rat poison is not packed from shelves and counters.
The poison to kill rats has become the go-to poison for those with suicidal tendencies and in spite of many deaths in this manner, the easy availability is shocking.
Yellow phosphorus is categorised as a highly lethal rodenticide when ingested doses exceed 1 mg/kg Ratol is very toxic, Once consumed is causes necrosis of the liver i.e. loss of cells or cell death, at times in a matter of hours.
There may have been murmurs about banning it but barring increased calls to do the same after any highly publicised Ratol-induced suicide, the issue fizzled out. Moreover, there is a trend of different stakeholders mentioning that it is someone else’s problem to tackle. Firstly, pharmacists are not willing to back the demand to ban it.
Amit Kamat, President of Chemist and Druggist Association of Goa, said, “After an incident which happened a few years back, a lot of restrictions were imposed on its sale. You cannot ban it. If a product is misused that does not mean that it should be banned. We can put restrictions on its purchase and sale.”
Lyndon D'Silva, Vice President of the Chemist and Druggist Association of Goa, said, “Ratol cannot be banned because it is required for killing rats. Even thinner used in paints is harmful. It depends on how it is used. In pharmacy stores, Ratols are kept in a separate place. It is not kept along with the general medicines which are meant for human consumption. Now medicines are available online also.”
But the irony here is, that those who are consuming ratol as poison to kill them themselves are not necessarily buying it online but across the counter where there are more than some life-saving drugs.
Speaking anonymously, a pharmacist said, “The product is available over the counter. A prescription is not required. However, there is a guideline for its storage. It should be kept separately. Ratol is very dangerous for human beings also. However, it has a pungent smell.”
Doctors are surely aware of the menace but the voice from the medical fraternity is still not firm enough, except for a few who have openly called for its ban.
Dr Babita Angle Prabhudesai said, “It should not be banned but it should be given strictly with complete vigilance and if there is a proper undertaking from the person stating why he is purchasing it. The undertaking should be signed by another person as a witness. Pharmacists have got a bigger responsibility as far as this medicine is concerned. They should maintain vigilance.”
Dr Sujoy Das, a senior Margao-based doctor and Director of Aster Hospitals however is crusading to pack off ratol, and he said, “Ratol is a yellow phosphorus substance. I do not know why this is being sold when actually it should have been banned. It is available in general stores as well. This is the poison for which there is no antidote for it. If a child takes it by mistake it will die immediately. If it is taken in a small quantity then there are chances of survival by seven or eight days but if it is taken in high quantity then a patient may die within 24 to 48 days.”
Dr Das added, “Ratol is a poison. When it goes inside the enzymes, it kills the cells. Though everything is there they stop functioning.”
Dr Judith Da Costa, a senior doctor, who has spoken out on the urgent need to completely stop the availability of the poison said, “Ratol should be banned as it can be used or accidentally consumed. It can also be used by those having suicidal tendencies. The product is still available. It should be banned. It can be used by children as well, thinking that it is toothpaste.”
Dr Rufino Monteiro, former president of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Goa State Branch, weighed in on this and said, “It should be banned or there should be strict control over its sale, like we have control over the sale of narcotic substances. The problem with it is that once it is consumed the patient is nearly dead. It is very toxic to the liver. It should be under strict control or it should be banned. Once it is consumed, the patient dies within 7 to 10 days. The patient develops very high jaundice, the liver fails and the patient dies. Once it is observed by the body then it is going to destroy the liver completely.”