January 14, 2006	Saturday	Zilhaj 13, 1426

KARACHI, Jan 13: Children aged between six months and two years, suffering from rota virus-induced watery diarrhoeal episodes, are being increasingly brought to Civil Hospital Karachi and other health care facilities in the metropolis.

Paediatricians have attributed this to seasonal outbreak of rota virus, mainly affecting young children, and warned that indifference towards hygienic conditions could affect individuals of all age groups.

Civil Hospital’s Dr Mobina Agboatwala, said young children, susceptible to viral infections, are reporting at local hospitals with intense episodes of watery stools.

Immediate interventions which generally are simple when ignored do prove to be fatal, she said, mentioning that clean and boiled water and ORS are extremely essential for such children, who following decline in episodes must be put on hygienically cooked liquid and/or semi-solid foods.

National Institute for Child Health’s Dr Jamal Raza, called upon the parents to immediately refer children, registered to be losing consciousness, to any qualified medical practitioner who may, depending on condition of a child and the need, may put the patient on drip.

Both the doctors recommended clean potable water for drinking purposes and proper hand-washing of children and their mothers or caretakers, coupled with consuming well-cooked food, placed only under clean and airy conditions.—APP