Media statement

Paraffin Poisoning policy brief

The Medical Research Council/UNISA’s Crime, Violence and Injury Lead Programme had recently completed a study on children being poisoned as a result of paraffin ingestion.

The study has revealed shocking statistics of 40 000 - 60 000 South African children who suffer from paraffin poisoning each year. According to the MRC the majority of paraffin poisoning incidents and deaths are prevalent amongst disadvantaged communities.

It is estimated that every year 171 and 498 of the children treated in South African hospitals die, as a result of paraffin poison. The report states that majority of the victims are under the age of five-years.

Research has demonstrated the effectiveness of child resistant containers (CRCs) in reducing childhood ingestion. The compulsory use of CRCs would save more than 80 lives per year reducing the ingestion of paraffin incidents by half.