Diarrhoea tops baby fatalities in SA
Salt and sugar solution can treat dehydration
While it can be treated with a simple sugar and salt solution, diarrhoea continues to be a leading killer among children under the age of five years in South Africa.
This is one of the key findings in the latest Health District Barometer compiled by the Health Systems Trust in partnership with the national Health Department.
This is the 12th edition of the publication that tracks the efficiency of healthcare across 52 municipal districts.
According to the 2016/2017 financial year report, diarrhoea constituted 10.1% of the fatalities of children under the age of five in 2015.
The report also states that the number of fatalities has declined steadily over the years, with less than 1 000 deaths for the first time since the 2012/2013 financial year.
It makes recommendations for effective home treatment and improved care at facilities.
Paediatrician Dr Vhutshilo Netshituni said children succumb to water and salt deficiency.
“Children die because of dehydration . When you lose water and salt there is a level when the body cannot cope and it goes into shock,” Netshituni said.
She said parents should immediately administer the homemade sugar and salt solution and take the child to a doctor if their condition worsens.
Netshituni said children in crèches were at risk of being exposed to viruses which cause diarrhoea, sometimes due to poor hygiene standards.
She said something as simple as washing hands thoroughly and sterilising milk bottles with boiled water can save a child’s life. “It all comes back to good hygiene,” she said.
Masabata Mkhwanazi from himself freely‚ but such freedom was confined if it incites violence or hatred.
He said Slade’s denigrating comments about black people‚ such as saying they were regarded as animals or servants‚ only serve to stir up emotions of hatred between blacks and whites.
“They are catalysts for the incitement of violence not only towards him but also towards innocent whites‚ among whom are those who fought for freedom which we so dearly enjoy today‚” Moodley said.
“He went to great lengths to justify his discrimination against the blacks by comparing the many physical characteristics and attributes that exist between the brain sizes‚ cubic capacity of the brain‚ blood type‚ bone density‚ different bodily features etc. The conclusion reached [by him] is that a black person has limited mental intellect.”
Moodley said Slade’s practices‚ beliefs‚ comments and conduct were all inconsistent with the vision that the constitution seeks to achieve because they were based on racial segregation and were demeaning and oppressive towards blacks.
“Mr Slade has shown no remorse or any regrets by his racist remarks. He has become so imbibed in his religious beliefs that he does not feel that he has said or done anything wrong.
“He was cool‚ collected and confident when he gave his evidence and did not blink an eyelid while we were glued to our seat.”
He went as far as to say that Krizaniova the African Self Help Association, an NGO which has 41 childcare centres in Gauteng, said they advised parents not to bring ill children to crèche.
Mkhwanazi said they also contact the health department for assistance if they suspect an outbreak.
“All our centres have running water and our toilets are clean throughout the day. We adhere to strict guidelines for children’s diet,” she said.
The Northern Cape had the highest fatalities at 3.8%, followed by Eastern Cape at 3.7% and North West at 3.2%.
‘ ‘ Saving child’s life all comes back to good hygiene
had “fertilised” Slade’s hatred of black people. “One can say they are a couple made in heaven as both sing from the same hymn sheet regarding their views on blacks... She played a major role in feeding Mr Slade with the fertiliser necessary to grow and sustain his religious beliefs to the detriment of the blacks.
“She is the one who influenced him in preventing blacks from coming to the lodge. Mr Slade initially resisted but she insisted and he gave in,” he said.
“I am surprised that such paltry amount is asked for in view of the extreme racist’s views that Mr Slade holds of blacks. I would have awarded an amount of between R150 000 to R200 000 as damages but I am confined to the amount that the applicants ask for.”
Moodley further ordered that Slade and Krizaniova immediately remove any material that would amount to racism‚ inequality and hate speech from their website and that their three books be banned from publication as they amount to racism‚ inequality and hate speech.
However, Slade appeared to do the opposite‚ updating his website with his view of the judgment yesterday morning.
“He read it with some mistakes but the most offending was the fact that he said we submitted no evidence... Moodley dared to order a ban of our book distribution in South Africa and of our blog and any discriminatory comments‚” he wrote.
He said an appeal against the judgment would be “too costly”.