Time to take measures to avoid gastrointestinal infections, diarrhoea

Rawalpindi:After a significant rise in mercury level almost all across the country including the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, the population has become at greater risk of contracting gastrointestinal infections.

In most parts of the country including this region, the day-time temperatures have been two to five degrees Celsius above normal that certainly cause contamination of foodstuff being kept in the open for hours. According to health experts, it is time for individuals to take preventive measures to avoid water and food borne infections commonly known as gastroenteritis and diarrhoea.

Private and public sector healthcare facilities in the region have already started receiving patients with gastrointestinal infections and diarrhoea. It is important that the infections put an extraordinary burden on public sector healthcare facilities particularly the three teaching hospitals in town every year soon after the advent of summer.

Every year, the population in the twin cities have to face outbreaks of gastroenteritis and diarrhoea in warmer months of the year while in monsoon, every third patient reaching allied hospitals in town is reported to have water or food borne infection.

Health experts say that it is so mainly because of lack of awareness among the public and carelessness as the majority of the population does not take necessary preventive measures to avoid diarrhoea and gastroenteritis.

Data collected by ‘The News’ has revealed that at the time, the allied hospitals in town are receiving a good number of patients particularly infants and children with respiratory tract infections along with a little number of patients with diarrhoea however, the trend is being shifted from respiratory infections to diarrhoea.

Experts say that if parents do not take extra care of water and foodstuff, the infants and children are consuming at the time, there would certainly be a great rise in the number of patients with gastrointestinal infections and diarrhoea. The food being consumed by the children must be prepared in good hygienic conditions.

Experts believe that it is time to educate the public that the leftover foodstuff must be refrigerated as the weather is getting warmer. The foodstuff in the open may become contaminated as hot and humid weather allows bacteria to grow faster.

Gastroenteritis is water and food borne bacterial infection that can be transmitted to eatables through flies in unhygienic conditions. The main symptoms of the infection include vomiting, fever, severe diarrhoea with dehydration and lowering of blood pressure. The poor hygienic conditions at food places and vendors contaminate locally prepared drinks and foodstuff and consumption of uncovered food, cut fruits and uncovered drinks help spread gastrointestinal infections further.

Experts say that individuals should take necessary preventive measures well in time to avoid outbreaks of gastrointestinal infections including diarrhoea. People should use safe drinking water, sterilised by boiling or chlorination.

The best practice is to bring drinking water to ‘rolling boil’ for 5-10 minutes and then cool it down. Individuals should use chlorinated water for drinking if possible. Chlorination of water may be carried out by bleaching powder, chlorine tablets, and chlorine stock solution at homes.