THE State Government has decided to set up poison treatment centres in all districts in Tamil Nadu. The Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine will set up these centres with support from the National Rural Health Mission, said Director of Public Health Dr P Padmanabhan. "Poisoning is becoming a modern epidemic," said Dr C Rajendran, Professor of Medicine and Chiefin-charge of the Intensive Medical Care and Poison Centre, Government General Hospital. Last year alone, the GGH saw nearly 2,500 cases of poisoning, he said. "In around 60 per cent of cases, the patient goes to the nearest doctor. Very often the case is not diagnosed. By the time he reaches the government or corporate hospital, his condition becomes very severe," Rajendran said.