Series: “Interview with the Author…”
The badEM crew interviewed Carin Marks regarding her newly released article in AfJEM Volume 6 Issue 2 entitled: “A promising Poison Information Centre Model for Africa” Original Research by Carine Marks, Niel van Hoving, Nick Edwards, Christopher Kanema, David Kapindula, Tom Menge, Caesar Nyadedzor, Clare Roberts, Dexter Tagwireyi, Joanna Tempowski
Link to open access article: Click here:
Corresponding Author: carinem@sun.ac.za
Tell us about yourself. How did you get involved in this research?
Steering group membership has been fashioned before the initiation of the project. The Tygerberg Poisons Information entre (TPIC) has extensive knowledge in Poisons Centre services & as the Director of the TPIC I was asked to be a representative. The role of the steering group was to provide guidance, technical input to, & oversight of, the project to ensure that it has met its objectives.
What were the key findings from this study?
This study sought to evaluate the feasibility of a subregional poisons centre & to propose ways for improving the availability of poisons centre services in Eastern Africa.
During the study stakeholders showed a strong preference for national centres over a subregional centre & supported the concept of national centres networked or linked through a coordinating hub
What do these findings mean within the African context?
The rapid growth of the chemicals industry in Africa increases the need for poisons centre services. Currently only 9 countries in Africa have a Poisons Centre. Consideration should be given to the establishment of a poisons centre hub that links together centres in different African countries. A combined service would make it easier to detect, measure & manage the effect of chemicals on the African public. The collected data can provide evidence to support rational, cost-effective & cost-saving practices in the management of poisoning.
Check out the full-text open access article: Click here
More about AfJEM (excerpt from their newsletter)
AfJEM is an open access publication in the spirit of bringing #FOAMed to Africa. This is an important consideration, especially in a low to middle income setting where prospective readers, that may benefit from published information, will most likely not be able to access subscription based journal content. The AfJEM has no front end (author) or back end (reader) fees, and on top of that it offers a free Author Assist service that has been shown to reverse one in every four reject decisions (of manuscripts that fall within the journal’s scope) over the last five years.
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