Tips for keeping summer diseases away

[Naveed Yaseen]

Muhammad Qasim
There is a possibility of a sharp increase in heat-related diseases due to poor sanitary conditions prevailing in various localities of twin cities.

Health experts say that if effective preventive measures are not adopted both at community as well as individual level there is a chance of increase in cases of heat exhaustion, heat cramps, heat syncope, prickly heat, sunburn, heatstroke and other summer diseases like diarrhoea, dysentery, cholera, gastro, typhoid and hepatitis A&E. They said that the situation might be more alarming because of supply of contaminated or unchlorinated water to residents and consumption of unhygienic food.

“At individual level, a strict heat, water and food discipline must be adopted in order to avoid summer health hazards,” said Dr. Sohail Tariq. He said that following water discipline is a must to avoid infections. “The drinking water should be made safe. This can be done either by boiling or treating water with chlorine tablets or bleaching powder,” he said.

“At community level, civic bodies should adopt certain preventive measures in order to save people from hazards of summer diseases,” said Professor of Community Medicine Dr. Muhammad Ashraf Chaudhry while talking to ‘The News.’ He added that uninterrupted chlorination of water should be ensured at all main sources of water supply to save public from water-borne diseases.

Monitoring of water supply must be intensified and frequent sampling of water for bacteriological examination should be ensured. Samples of soda water should be collected from different factories and sent to laboratories for examination. Food samples should be collected from hotels and restaurants. In case of unfit food sample, strict action must be ensured against owners of hotels and restaurants, he said.

He said that strict measures should be adopted to check the sale of rotten fruit, ice balls and cut fruit such as watermelon. “Residual insecticide spraying and free distribution of insecticide-treated bed nets must be promoted to prevent malaria and dengue outbreak,” he said. He added that awareness campaigns must be launched against summer diseases through electronic and print media.

He said that boiled water should be used for drinking. “The chlorine stock solution can easily be prepared at home and kept in a container that does not admit light. Add three level tablespoons (33 grams) of bleaching powder to 1 litre or four glasses of water and mix well. Add three drops (0.6ml) of the prepared stock solution to 1 litre of water to stand for 30 minutes before use. Similarly after adding chlorine tablets to water, one must wait for 30 minutes before drinking it,” he said.

He said that as far as food safety is concerned; smaller meals, along with green vegetables, fruit, onion and curd, should be taken. “Food should be eaten while still hot. Food should be kept covered and protected from flies. Cold dishes from bazaar such as ‘channa chats’, ‘dahi bahlas’, ‘chatni’, ‘raita’ and salads should be avoided.

Leftover food should be stored in the refrigerator as early as possible. Food should be thoroughly cooked and eaten hot,” he said. He added that ‘cook and eat the same day’ is the golden rule. Hands should be thoroughly washed with soap and water before preparation of food, eating of food and after going to toilet, he added.

Talking about protection from heat effects, he said, one should wear lightweight, light-coloured and loose-fitting clothes. People should protect themselves from the sun by wearing a hat, cap or using an umbrella. Sunglasses must be used. Do not spend time outdoors during hottest hours of the day that is from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Commercial sunscreen lotions must be avoided since they will expose you to dangerous chemicals. “Respect heat and not fear it,” said Dr. Ashraf.

For prevention of malaria and dengue fever at individual level, personal protective measures must be adopted such as use of repellents on exposed parts of the body, use of mosquito coils or electric mats, full sleeve shirts, long trousers, light coloured clothing, use of insecticide treated bed nets while sleeping and screening of doors and windows of houses in order to prevent the entry of mosquitoes in houses, he said.

To a query, Dr Ashraf said that patients suffering from diarrhea, including cholera and gastro, should be given lots of fluids or oral rehydration salt (ORS). He said that if ORS is not available, it could easily be prepared at home. “First wash your hands with soap and water and take four glasses of pre-boiled, cooled water. Add eight teaspoonfuls of sugar and 1-2 teaspoonful of common salt in it. If lemon is available, add juice of one lemon in it. If baking soda is available, add a pinch of baking soda. Shake well and use it within 24 hours,” he explained.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=178361