Necessary preventie steps each one of us must take against water-borne diseases this summer
Necessary preventie steps each one of us must take against water-borne diseases this summer
New Delhi, May 1, 2016: The cases of water borne diseases like typhoid, diarrhea and jaundice rise during the summer months. The primary reasons for this being the scarcity of water and poor hygiene.
During the summer months, the human body requires 500 ml more water as compared to other months due to excessive sweating. The overall water consumption in households also rises as the temperature goes up. The shortage of water can cause dehydration and heat strokes. The additional requirement for water during the summer months often causes the government to supply water from different sources, which may have higher levels of impurities. This makes people more vulnurable to water borne diseases.
Article 47 makes it one of the primary duties of the State to provide clean and safe drinking water to its citizens. Yet three lakh children in India die due to diarrheal diseases every year before the age of three, a condition that is completely preventable by the elimination of unsafe drinking water. Raising awareness about necessary steps each one of us must take to prevent water-borne diseases is crucial.
Raising awareness, Padma Shri Awardee Dr KK Aggarwal – President Heart Care Foundation of India and Honorary Secretary General IMA said, “Poor water and food hygiene during the summer months increases the incidence of water-borne diseases. To maintain adequate food hygiene one must remember the formula ‘heat it, boil it, cook it, peel it or forget it’. Any food or liquid, if heated before use, cannot cause infection. Similarly, fruit, which can be peeled, like banana and orange cannot cause infection. Cut fruits left outside in the open get spoilt very fast during the summer months and one must stay away from them.”
A few tips to stay away from common water-borne diseases include:
- Do not use ice prepared from unsterilized water.
- Do not take cut fruits and vegetables that have been left open.
- Do not drink sugarcane juice sold on the streets
- Do not drink water in unwashed glass on the roadside
- Do not eat food that has been left outside for more than 2 hours at room temperature
- Do not eat cucumbers, carrots, watermelon etc. that is sold on the roadsides as chaat unless hygienic
- Always boil water before consumption, do not drink tap water
About Heart Care Foundation of India
Initiated in 1986, the Heart Care Foundation of India is a leading National NGO working in the field of creating mass health awareness among people from all walks of life and providing solutions for India’s everyday healthcare needs. The NGO uses consumer based entertainment modules to impart health education and increase awareness amongst people. A leading example of this is the Perfect Health Mela, an annual event started in 1993 that is attended by over 2-3 lakh people each year. The Mela showcases activities across categories such as health education seminars and check ups, entertainment programs, lifestyle exhibitions, lectures, workshops and competitions. In addition to this, the NGO conducts programs and camps to train people on the technique of hands only CPR through its CPR 10 mantra for revival after a sudden cardiac arrest. They currently hold three Limca book of world records for the maximum number of people trained in hands only CPR in one go. Keeping article 21 of the Indian constitution in mind, which guarantees a person Right to Life, Heart Care Foundation of India has also recently initiated a project called the Sameer Malik Heart Care Foundation Fund to ensure that no one dies of a heart disease just because they cannot afford treatment.
