Precautionary measures may save people from post-rain diseases

Rawalpindi: The spread of post-rain diseases particularly after heavy rainfalls during monsoon in areas flooded with contaminated water is proved to be a disaster every year, though with the help of simple precautionary measures if taken well in time, a lot of losses can be minimized to a significant level.

It has been observed that not only in peripheries, but also in urbanized areas, the population has to face the burden of certain infections both the water borne and vector borne diseases like malaria and dengue fever during and after monsoon.

The most common post-rain diseases including diarrhoea, dysentery, gastro, cholera, typhoid, hepatitis, malaria, dengue fever etc. hit the population hard after flooding in village areas and accumulation of waste water flooded out of nullahs in and around houses in urbanised areas because of heavy rains.

Health experts believe that the possible outbreaks of both the water borne diseases and vector borne diseases can be prevented by adopting simple precautionary measures in time. These infections are mainly caused by the consumption of contaminated water, unhygienic food, stagnant water and poor sanitary conditions. By avoiding the conditions, the spread of post rain diseases can be controlled.

Experts say that people should follow good dietary habits during monsoon and drink plenty of water, lemonade water if possible, all the day to stay healthy. All drinking water needs to be made safe for drinking which can be done either by boiling or chlorination of water with chlorine tablets or bleaching powder. Experts say that Chlorine Stock Solution can easily be prepared at home and kept in a container that does not admit light. Add three level table spoons (33 grams) of bleaching powder to one litre or four glasses of water and mix well. Add three drops (0.6ml) of the prepared stock solution to one litre of water to stand for 30 minutes before use.