Diarrhoea control fortnight to start from July 4 in Mohali district

Diarrhoea control fortnight will be observed from July 4 to 17 in government health institutions across the district. Around 1,54,500 children aged up to five will be covered under the drive.

Sharing details, civil surgeon Dr Mahesh Kumar and district immunisation officer Dr Girish Dogra said the main objective of the fortnight is to reduce death-rate of children and achieve the goal of “Zero deaths” due to diarrhoea in the district.

They said that almost all deaths due to disease could be averted by administering oral rehydration salt (ORS) and zinc tablets along with adequate nutritional intake. They said that ORS and zinc corners have been set up in all the government health centres across the district and health workers will hold demonstrations on how to prepare ORS solutions. The health officials added that ASHA workers will go door-to-door to distribute ORS packets and Zinc tablets.

They said that diarrhoea, out of the most common illnesses among children, can be controlled by providing safe drinking water, improving sanitation and hygiene and proper nutrition.

Community awareness activities on the importance of hygiene and ways to tackle the disease will be conducted during the campaign.

Lalru outbreak

In a diarrhoea outbreak at Dhire Majra village near Lalru in June, 65 persons had taken ill, with two children suspected to have died.

Health authorities had conducted a survey of 186 houses, examining 913 persons. People belonging to 25 houses were found to be suffering from diarrhoea.