Diarrhoea control drive begins sans ORS supply in Jalandhar
Over 2.63 lakh ORS packets are to be distributed by the health dept in a fortnight
JALANDHAR: An intensified diarrhoea control fortnight, which started from July 10 and is on till July 22, organised by the Jalandhar district health department, is yet to receive supply of oral rehydration solution (ORS) packets.
Over 2.63 lakh ORS packets are to be distributed by the health department during the fortnight but unavailability of packets and tablets has raised questions on the drive.
Under the drive, every household having children below five years, would be covered by health workers, including 1,427 accredited social health activists (ASHA) and 327 auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs).
Health teams have also been formed to give demonstrations at houses to prepare an ORS solution that can protect children from water-borne diseases. The teams, visiting households, would also detect under-nourished children and file a report about them to the department so that special attention could be given to them.
Further, teams of health workers under the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) would visit schools to tell the children about the importance of washing hands before eating.
The fortnight would spread awareness through posters, banners and installing hoardings. Demonstration and counselling corners would be established at district hospitals, community and primary health and anganwari centres.
Civil surgeon Dr Raghubir Singh Randhawa said the IEC activities are most important under the programme, which have been already begun and supply of ORS packets would arrive soon.
The department has also held training and sensitisation session for the health workers.
An official said health corners in civil and ESI hospitals and other government hospitals would be established under the programme but they are waiting for the supply of packets and tablets.
He added that special importance is also being given to promote breastfeeding of infants for six months as it yields tremendous health benefits for the child and protects him from diseases.
He revealed that around 2 lakh children die due to diarrhoea annually in the country and deaths usually occur in summer and monsoon months. He said the worst-affected are malnourished children and children less than two years of age.
Recently, Phillaur town was in the grip of diarrhoea and 400 were found suffering from the disease. More than 4,000 ORS packets were delivered to the people and health camps were held in four wards of the town. Later, cholera cases were detected there.