Reducing deaths from pesticide poisoning - Establishing a regional toxicology research centre.

世界卫生组织估计，亚太地区每年有近50万人死于急性农药中毒。斯里兰卡的这个项目将是首次尝试系统地测试一系列策略是否可以减少长期的神经损伤和杀虫剂造成的死亡。未来五年，澳大利亚和斯里兰卡的合作将致力于改善对亚急性和长期发病率的评估；促进以证据为基础的治疗；开发新的解毒剂(并评估其成本效益)，并看看农药监管是否可以降低严重或致命中毒的比率。如果成功，这一计划可能会成为该地区如何大幅减少这场隐藏在很大程度上的悲剧的典范。

The World Health Organization estimates suggest nearly half a million people die from acute pesticide poisoning in the Asia-Pacific region each year. The Sri Lankan project will be the first attempt to systematically test whether a range of strategies can reduce long-term neurological damage and deaths from pesticides. The Australian-Sri Lankan Collaboration will, over the next five years, aim to improve assessment of sub-acute and long-term morbidity; promote 'evidence-based' treatment; develop new antidotes (and assess their cost effectiveness), and see if pesticide regulation can reduce the rate of severe or fatal poisoning. If successful, this program may become a model for the region as to how to substantially reduce this largely hidden tragedy.