Pay attention to safety as you celebrate Avurudu, warn health officials
With the Sinhala and Tamil New Year just days away, health authorities have urged the public to pay attention to safety issues when celebrating, as there is always an increase in various accidents during this holiday season.
Head of Injury Prevention and Control Unit of the Directorate of Non Communicable Diseases at the Ministry of Health, Consultant Community Physician Dr. Samitha Sirithunga, said Health Ministry guidelines in this regard will be distributed through Pradeshiya Sabhas and local police stations.
Doctors have also asked people who plan to take part in energy-intensive activities such as bicycle races or marathons to get checked out medically before taking part.
They also urged organisers of such events to give heed to the hot weather and hold such events between 7 and 8 a.m. to avert health complications such as heat stroke.
Dr. Sirithunga also emphasised the importance of first aid. “Without proper first aid, a simple injury could become severe and, in some cases, even fatal due to a lack of immediate medical attention.
He pointed out that firstaid teams are rarely present at Avurudu events, especially those held in rural areas, He asked organisers to prepare a first-aid team with the necessary training. He also said it was important to have a car or van available at these events in case of a medical emergency cropping up. He said in such a situation, a threewheeler should not be used to transport the victim to the hospital, as complications could arise due to the inability to maintain a proper posture.
In order to be in safe hands, he emphasised the importance of reporting the avurudu occurrence to the closest hospital and police station.
Health experts also asked Avurudu event planners to keep a close eye on children participating in games like pillow fights, spoon races, and grease pole climbing.
He also emphasised the importance of preventing traffic accidents during the holiday season.
Dr. Sirithunga noted that many people go on vacation during the Avurudu season, and a majority of traffic incidents take place in outlying areas where a large number of vehicles tend to travel during a brief window of time.
In order to mitigate the frequency of these incidents, Dr. Sirithunga asked motorists and pedestrians to exercise caution.
“Simply changing your attitude and behaviour is the safest choice you can make while on the road,” Dr. Sirithunga noted.
According to medical professionals, drowning incidents also tend to occur more frequently during the holiday season as people from outside visit water resources such as waterfalls that they know little about, unlike locals in these areas.
Dr. Sirithunga made it clear that saving someone from drowning and swimming are two distinct things and that people should not attempt to save someone who is drowning if they are not trained to do so, and people end up drowning trying to save another person from drowning. In such cases, where possible, a rope should be pointed towards the person to hold onto until proper assistance arrives.