KARACHI: The most common complication from food poisoning is acute dehydration that could be fatal in young children as well as in older adults with weak immune system and/or chronic illnesses. Such cases require immediate hospitalisation for administration of an intravenous therapy. This might save a life.

Health experts shared this information on Monday in the backdrop of an investigation into the death of two children who reportedly died of food poisoning on Sunday.

While the actual cause of their death is yet to be determined, the experts believe that it is time to raise concern over the open sale of substandard food in the city, especially outside schools, and create public awareness on what people need to know about food poisoning and how they could ensure family safety.

“In case of dehydration — loss of salts and minerals from the body — the first step at home should be to serve oral rehydration salts (ORS) to the patient. If vomiting and diarrhoea persist, the patient should immediately be taken to the emergency department of a hospital for administration of intravenous therapy,” said Dr Khalid Zubairi, recently elected vice president of Pakistan Paediatric Association.

According to him, vomiting and diarrhoea are more severe in case of food poisoning and families should know danger signs. Patients in this condition also may have fever.

He regretted that despite the fact that all major vaccines, including Rotavirus and pneumococcal vaccines which provided protection against diarrhoea and pneumonia, were available in Pakistan free of cost, both diseases were top causes of children’s death in the country.

“We are depriving our children of their right to a life by not choosing to opt for these vaccines,” he said.

On safety and prevention, he said that breastfeeding was highly recommended for children up to six months age as mother’s milk provided protection from multiple infections.

“Other preventive steps include ensuring that the child has proper nutrition level according to his age, maintains good hygiene and drinks boiled water. Parents should avoid consumption of market food,” he said.

Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro, a general physician and president of the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), said that while contamination in food might be caused by a virus, bacteria, metal or aflatoxins through various sources, infection signs might manifest in three to 12 hours depending upon the type of toxin consumed and its quantity.

“Signs depend on the organism, the amount of exposure, age and health. High-risk groups include children and older adults with compromised immune system,” he said.

Meanwhile, the PMA issued a press release, expressing regret over children’s death. It called upon the government to arrest and punish those responsible for the incident and start a monitoring process to check the quality of food being sold in the city.

“It’s not the first time that such an incident has occurred and, unfortunately, might occur in future, if the government didn’t realise its responsibility,” said Dr Qaiser Sajjad representing the PMA.

He urged the government to make the food authority fully functional, equip it with all necessary tools so that it could do its job efficiently and ensure regular monitoring of food products.

“It’s sad to see that the chief justice has to intervene in every matter because the government is not performing. What’s the use of electing a government which is repeatedly failing to do its basic job of protecting public health?” he asked.

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2018