Doctors in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have urged authorities to impose a complete ban on the sale of wheat pills, warning that people increasingly use the highly toxic substance to die by suicide.
The call came from the director of Mardan Medical Complex, Dr Gulzar Ahmad Khan, who wrote to the divisional commissioner on Friday. He recommended an immediate ban on the sale of wheat pills in the region, calling the move necessary in the public interest. He also asked the government to extend the ban across the province.
In the letter, Dr Khan said wheat pill poisoning has become a frequent medical emergency. He warned that the mortality rate linked to these cases stands at nearly 90 percent.
He explained that wheat pills, which contain aluminum phosphide or zinc phosphide, are extremely toxic rodenticides and fumigants. He said the pills are widely available in markets and cause severe poisoning in humans when taken accidentally or during suicide attempts.
Dr Khan said the substance leads to massive multi-organ failure. He added that such poisoning cases are catastrophic and have no known antidote, leaving doctors with limited treatment options.
Doctors working in accident and emergency departments said that aluminum phosphide is a highly toxic inorganic compound. They said it is commonly used to fumigate stored grain and control pests.
They explained that the chemical releases phosphine gas when it comes into contact with moisture or acid. This gas is extremely poisonous and causes severe damage to the heart, lungs, and nervous system. As a result, the compound requires strict licensing and careful handling.
A senior medical officer said hospitals regularly receive patients who have consumed wheat pills. He said many of them do not survive, while a few live only because they reach medical facilities in time.
He added that most victims are women. He said many women consume wheat pills because the substance is easily available in farming households.
The officer also said some women who survived suicide attempts later reported that male family members forced them to ingest the pills. He said banning the substance would remove what he described as an easy and deadly means to end lives.
Farmers, however, oppose a complete ban on wheat pills. They agree the substance is dangerous but argue that strict regulation, not an outright ban, would be a better solution.
Growers warned that a total ban could cause serious losses in agriculture. They said wheat pills remain one of the most effective tools to protect stored grain from insects and rodents, especially in large warehouses and rural storage sites.
One farmer said banning the pills would expose large quantities of stored wheat to pest damage. He warned this could lead to food insecurity and higher wheat prices.
Farmers urged authorities to restrict sales instead of banning the product entirely. They suggested allowing sales only to licensed users, registered godowns, and flour mills.
They also called for tighter control over packaging. They said authorities should ban loose and open sales and allow only sealed and clearly labelled packs under strict monitoring.
Growers further recommended heavy fines and jail terms for illegal sellers. They also urged district administrations to conduct training and awareness sessions for buyers and handlers.
They said the government should promote safer alternatives to wheat pills until affordable substitutes become widely available.
Via: Dawn