People can avoid problems through simple precautionary measures

Rawalpindi
A heat spell has hit the region that may cause increase in the number of cases of heat exhaustion, heat cramps, heat syncope, prickly heat, heatstroke, sunburn and other infections, including diarrhoea, dysentery, typhoid, gastroenteritis and hepatitis A and E, which are mainly caused by contaminated water, unhygienic food and poor sanitary conditions.
According to health experts, there is a need to create awareness among public that almost all summer-related health hazards can be avoided by adopting simple precautionary measures.
Last year, from May to July, the three teaching hospitals in town — Holy Family Hospital, Banazir Bhutto Hospital and District Headquarters Hospital — received more than 2,000 patients of gastroenteritis only while the number of patients with other summer-related problems was not less than 20,000.
Health experts say that the summer season has set in and people should adopt the habit of taking plenty of clean water all the day, while people engaged in outdoor activities should essentially take salty water and lemonade to avoid dehydration.
Rawalpindi Medical College Principal and Allied Hospitals Chief Professor Dr. Muhammad Umar told ‘The News’ that drinking water must be made safe before intake. This can be done either by boiling or chlorination of water with chlorine tablets or bleaching powder. The chlorine stock solution can easily be prepared at home that should be kept in a container avoiding light exposure, he said.
The chlorine stock solution can be prepared by adding three level tablespoons (33 grams) of bleaching powder to one litre or four glasses of water and mixing it well. Add three drops of the prepared stock solution to one litre of water to stand for 30 minutes before use. Similarly, after adding chlorine tablets to water, one must wait for 30 minutes before drinking it. Ice from the market should be avoided instead it should be prepared from boiled or chlorinated water, said Professor Umar.
He said that the food safety is another must to follow, particularly in summer season. One should eat smaller meals along with maximum use of green vegetables, fruits, abundant use of onions and curd. People should avoid raw foods, particularly sliced fruits like watermelons, being sold by vendors and sugarcane juice and ‘sherbets’ available at roadside vendors.
He suggested that food should be eaten while still hot and food from the market like ‘channa chat’ and ‘dahi bhalla’ should be avoided during summer. “The leftover food should be stored in a refrigerator as early as possible and should be consumed after heating it well.”
To minimise the effects of heat, he said, people should wear lightweight, light-colour and loose-fitting clothes and should avoid putting on black, dark green, red and blue clothes. He added that to avoid heat stroke, heat syncope and sunburn, people should protect themselves from the sun by wearing a hat or cap or using an umbrella. Sunglasses must be used. Do not spend time outdoors during hottest hours of the day that is from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., he said.
Professor Umar said that one must wash hands with soap and water after using toilet and before preparing or eating food and feeding children to avoid gastroenteritis and diarrhoea-like diseases. In case of complaints of diarrhoea, one should take lots of fluids or oral rehydration salt (ORS).
He said in case ORS is not available at home or in market as is the case in most rural areas; it may easily be prepared at home. One should add eight teaspoons of sugar, one to two teaspoonful of common salt and juice of one lemon in four glasses of clean drinking water to prepare ORS at home. If baking soda is available, add a pinch of it and shake the solution well that can be used as a replacement of ORS, said Professor Umar.