KARACHI: Use of boiled water must to avoid epidemics
KARACHI, May 18: As Karachiites are vulnerable to changing climatic conditions, with particular reference to temperature fluctuations in the city, experts have asked them to be extremely cautious about personal hygiene.
They urged the people to ensure maximum consumption of adequately-boiled water and avoid overripe fruits and stale food.
This was particularly stressed due to increased instances of diarrhoea among children and gastro-enteritis in almost all age groups of people.
Children must not be allowed to be out of cool and shaded environs during peak heat hours, from 10 am to 5 pm, said THO Keamari Dr Ashraf Said-uz-Zaman Siddiqui.
She said in case of diarrhoea, kids must be administered ORS and if the condition continues to deteriorate, they must be taken to the nearest health centre.
She advised that all food items be kept properly covered and protected against mosquitoes and dirt.
“Every citizen must also play his/her role to keep clean the residences, roads and lanes they belong to or the presence of mosquitoes and flies could lead to eruption of contagious diseases”,
Dr S.M. Afaq of the NICH said the most prominent complaint is of rashes often confused with measles. These rashes are itching, whitish or red and are concentrated on face, neck, chest and shoulder of the affected kid.
He also referred to the increased instances of gastro-enteritis among children. The condition known as the “summer’s disease” is bacterial in nature and occurs due to use of unboiled water.
As adult population of Karachi were also registered reporting severe head-ache, flank pain and burning micturition, they were advised for intake of maximum water followed by light food.
Burning micturition was particularly attributed to low intake of water resulting in concentrated urine.
People have also been asked to ensure that their children are not allowed to play in the open, hence avoid heat-stroke and that kids must particularly be given boiled water to drink at regular intervals. Infants be breast-fed more frequently to prevent a wide range of ailments.
Children must also avoid consuming kulfi and coloured syrups as they also lead to chest infection at this particular point of season.
Doctors feared that water scarcity witnessed in city may lead to water-borne diseases, particularly in congested parts of the city as estimated water shortage would compel many to resort to acquire water through tankers, quality of which again is extremely questionable.
They were of opinion that extreme situations and outburst of epidemics could be prevented through consumption of adequately boiled water.—APP
