To mark the World Population Day which falls on 11 July, district magistrate Haridwar kick-started an awareness drive to bring down the infant mortality rate in the district. He also launched intense diarrhea control programme which would last for a fortnight.
At the launching of the drive in district Mahila Chikitsalaya, DM Harbans Singh Chugh said that to counter any problem, it is a must to spread the awareness amongst the people. Addressing the officials, DM said, “To control the spread of diarrhea, people need to be made aware of the do’s and don’ts for prevention of this water- borne disease, especially in the far- flung areas of the district. The medicines must be made available in these areas.”
The DM further said that child mortality rate was high in the district which needed to be checked. Not only the government officials must fulfill their responsibility but people from all walks of life must participate so that the infant death rate could be brought down, he said. Drawing attention towards the significance of cleanliness, he said children must be taught to wash their hands and not defecate in the open. He said that the message of cleanliness must percolate amongst the rural people.
Chief medical officer Dr B S Jangpangi told The Pioneer that the intense diarrhea control drive would be launched from July 11 to July 23. During this, medical camps will be held at various places across the district. ASHA workers will distribute ORS packets by visiting homes of the people and giving directions to wash hands in the right manner.
He further added that people will be specially made aware of maintaining personal hygiene and cleanliness by washing hands before cooking, after feeding children and after using toilet with soap and water. The diarrhea patient must be given ORS at fixed intervals and Zinc tablet for 14 days. The children aged under two years must not be given this Zinc tablets. He said the main aim of the drive was treatment as well as spread of awareness towards the dreaded disease.