Abstract
The WHO recognises pesticide poisoning to be the most important means of suicide globally. Pesticide self-poisoning is a major social and public health problem, especially in rural Asia, where it has led to case fatality ratios many times higher than self-poisoning in high income countries.
Several strategies have been proposed to reduce the incidence of pesticide self-poisoning and to reduce the mortality from such episodes. The nature of the problem will be briefly presented and the various proposed strategies discussed focusing upon initiatives at community level, policies at national and international approaches aimed at prevention.
About Konradsen
Flemming Konradsen is a professor of international environmental health and Director, School of Global Health, University of Copenhagen. His research focus upon, sanitation uptake and hygiene promotion; epidemiology and control of vector-borne diseases, in particular malaria and dengue; and prevention of self-harm and suicide following self-poisoning with pesticides.
Before joining the University, Konradsen worked for international and national research organizations and non-governmental organizations. He has had managerial and leadership responsibilities at department level as well as for educational programs, international capacity strengthening initiatives and research councils.