KARACHI, May 16: A marked decline has been registered in the cases of diarrhoea and gastro-enteritis reported at government health care facilities of the province. Special Health Secretary (Public Health) Dr Abdul Majid talking to APP here on Wednesday said the province till the last few days was registering a significant number of cases, with children being the main affectees of diarrhoea.

“However, due to prompt steps adopted by the department - mainly focussed on prevention besides a decline in the temperature we can witness reduction in the incidence of diarrhoea as well as gastroenteritis,” he said.

He clarified that diarrhoea was often confused with gastro-enteritis. “Factually it was seasonal diarrhoea experienced by the masses due to bad climatic conditions,” he said.

The secretary said concerted efforts to motivate the public to consume boiled water and also get it treated with either alum or chlorine had largely helped. He said many of the previously reported cases were found to be inflicted with dehydration and the trend was constrained through across the board free-of-cost availability of ORS.

He said the health minister had approached the authorities at both provincial and federal levels to extend due importance to public health, mainly focussing on prevention.

He acknowledged that polluted water induced ailments were reported all across the country and instances of typhoid, diarrhoea, hepatitis A and D were not unusual.

Dr Majid mentioned that places where people were educated and concerned communities as well as administration ensured appropriate interventions, which were simple and cost-effective, public health conditions had largely improved.

He said public health section of the provincial health department would continue making efforts to educate the masses about improved hygiene and healthy practices protecting themselves as well as their children against infections.

He said the public health section would also monitor immunisation programmes and accessibility of health interventions to targeted population across the province.—APP