Temperature variation may cause health hazards

Rawalpindi: The change in weather conditions particularly the variation in temperature between day and night coupled with careless attitude may cause certain health threats particularly infections while giving rise to complications among chronic patients including those who are suffering from cardiac problems, diabetes and hypertension or are living with immunodeficiency.

A number of viral infection have already started hitting population in this region of the country and the allied hospitals in town including Holy Family Hospital, Benazir Bhutto Hospital and District Headquarters Hospital are receiving patients with infections including sore throat, diarrhoea and gastroenteritis.

Health experts say that cardiac patients may suffer from complaints of uncontrolled blood pressure due to variation in temperature. It is not merely the change in weather conditions that is culprit instead it is the careless attitude of public that causes certain infections to go on the rise at the time of change in season, say the health experts.

Viral infections are hitting population in the region but these can be avoided by following simple precautionary measures particularly by consuming safe drinking water and fresh food, said Head of Department of Infectious Diseases at HFH Dr. Muhammad Mujeeeb Khan while talking to ‘The News’.

He said the winter season has almost passed off and the leftover food may get contaminated if kept in open for longer period of time. The weather conditions in next few days would not be suitable for keeping leftover food in open and it is time for individuals to consume food while fresh or if needed, refrigerate it properly, he added.

It is observed that majority of people do not take variation in temperature between day and night and change in weather conditions as seriously as it is, said Senior Registrar at Department of Medicine in HFH Dr. Zahid Minhas while talking to ‘The News’ on Sunday.

He said the food items being sold by vendors in unhygienic conditions may cause certain infections and the best option for individuals particularly children is to avoid bad dietary habits and consumption of unsafe food item from vendors operating in open in unhygienic conditions.

To avoid sore throat and other respiratory tract infections, individuals should avoid drinking cold water, cold drinks and sore foodstuff, he said. Referring to the trend of health threats witnessed in last few years by the population in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, he said individuals may face greater threat of gastroenteritis in the coming weeks.

He however added that an expected outbreak of gastroenteritis can be avoided if sufficient awareness is created among public at the time. It is important that every year, the public sector hospitals register trend of shifting of infections from respiratory tract ailments to gastrointestinal problems along with water and food borne infections before the advent of summer. Dr. Minhas said most of the chronic patients including those suffering from diabetes, cardiac problems and hypertension require change in routine along with medication at the time of change in weather conditions and it is better for them to visit their physicians before time to get proper advice.