Dr Niyaf's Online Clinic

Last year, around June, I issued a public health warning on a house fly invasion in Male’ via this blog. That time, as was expected, a surge in diarrhoeal disease incidence was noted. Several children were affected by the illness with many requiring hospital care for severe disease. Food and drinking water contamination was thought to be the mechanism of spread. Thanks to a visiting Thai research team, the organism responsible for the illness was identified as Rota virus following tests on several patients.

This year, we are again experiencing a house fly invasion. We are perhaps experiencing the early days of the invasion. Unless steps are taken to control this vector, we may have to face another diarrhoeal disease epidemic in Male’.

Food hygiene and clean drinking water are of paramount importance in preventing diarrhoeal diseases from spreading. The many open air restaurants around Male’ would need to work hard to control the fly population in and around their premises. Food handling safety must be ensured at all times but particularly during these times. 

I recently sat with a couple of doctors in the Executive section of the canteen at IGMH to discuss a few clinical issues. I do not eat food from the canteen for health concerns and the sight in and around the canteen convinced me that I was right to be concerned. The place was full of house flies. They were everywhere. I assume, not necessarily from having witnessed any evidence of it, that the operators of the canteen must be doing something to control the vector; but clearly they were on the losing side. So would the many hundreds of people eating at the canteen. Just imagine what impact the newly opened “open air ” section would have on food contamination by the flies!

General cleanliness at the household level and at the community level would be required to control the fly population before it causes an inevitable public health crisis. The public on their own and the government authorities too must take necessary steps as soon as possible.

In particular, I would like to urge the general public to take extra precautions in ensuring that drinking water is clean, safe and non-contaminated. Boiling drinking water could be something that could be done at the household level to ensure the safety of drinking water. Perhaps the public water supply company could take public steps to alleviate our concerns too.

Food handling both at home and at public food outlets must be made safer and cleaner. Keeping food protected from  flies and other vectors would be of particular benefit during the fly season.

Last, but definitely not the least, improved personal hygiene with particular attention to hand hygiene before handling food or drinks would go a long way in preventing diarrhoeal diseases.

Take care.