Diarrhea Again!
I have observed a sudden increase in the number of children presenting with an acute Diarrheal disease over the past couple of weeks. I am also aware of an increase in the number of children with Diarrhea requiring hospitalized care during the same period.
It may be too early to say if this is the beginning of another Diarrheal epidemic in Male’, however, I would like to take this opportunity to advice the public to make an extra effort to improve personal and food hygiene to help avert an outbreak.
Ensuring improved personal hygiene, especially among children, people who care for children and those involved in preparation of food both at home and at public food outlets will be an important measure in breaking the transmission cycle of viral and bacterial causes of diarrhea.
Safety of drinking water needs to be ensured. At home, this is best done by using boiled and or filtered water. Water is commonly found to be the media of transmission of viral and bacterial Diarrheal diseases. Commercial producers and distributors of drinking water in Male’ must ensure that the safety standards in processing, packaging and supplying is followed.
Imropved hygiene at all times during preparation and handling of food is very important. Hotels, cafe’s and restaurants must ensure extra measures of food safety are in place at all times, but in particular during periods when a food or water borne infection is spreading. Consuming well cooked food in their fresh state is another important step. Raw vegetables and fruits, if to be consumed, must be cleaned thoroughly.
In the event a child gets Diarrhea, the mainstay of treatment is maintaining adequate hydration by replacing fluid losses by using Oral Rehydration solutions. In small infants it is particularly important to ensure adequate hydration, as they are most likely to become dehydrated quickly.
I would recommend that all children who develop diarrhea be shown to a doctor for assessment. This would also make it possible for improved reporting and surveillance of emerging epidemics.
