Over the year, the number of children hospitalized due to alcohol and drugs tripled in Kyiv – KMDA

In 2023, 174 children were admitted to the capital’s medical institutions in a state of alcohol or drug intoxication. This is almost three times more than in 2022.

Most of these situations could be avoided, says Valentina Ginzburg, Director of the Department of Health Protection of the Kyiv City State Administration.

“The number of children, mostly teenagers, who needed the help of doctors, particularly resuscitators, due to the use of alcohol or drugs increased by more than 2.5 times.

And these are children who have families, loved ones who take care of them. Why do I think it is necessary to sound the alarm? Because most of these cases could have been prevented.” Ginsburg noted.

She also emphasized that cases of poisoning by medicines and other substances, as well as child suicides, have increased. In particular, during the year in Kyiv, almost four hundred children aged 3 to 14 were poisoned by medicines, household chemicals and other toxic substances.

Such a disappointing trend, in my opinion of the director of the Department of Health, caused inattention of adults. And the lack of sincere communication with adults often prompts teenagers to commit suicide.

According to the Kyiv Center for Emergency Medical Aid and Disaster Medicine, the number of emergency calls due to child suicide attempts has increased significantly over the past year: in 2022, teams responded to 93 such cases, and in 2023 – to 135.

Last year, 17 suicide attempts resulted in deaths, 16 of them were committed by falling from a height. In 2022, there were 11 such cases.

“The largest number of attempts to shorten life are made by children aged 14 to 16. Girls are more likely to commit suicide and much more often to drink alcohol before doing so.” – the message says.

We used to toldwhy teenagers commit suicide and how parents can recognize suicidal intentions in a child.