Doctors bat for ORS to curb diarrhoea complications
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, July 25 2024: While cautioning that diarrhoea is one of the major causes of death among children under 5 years of age, RIMS Department of Paediatrics senior resident Dr L Radhapyari has said that Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) is the best option to prevent complications arising out of diarrhoea.

She made the remark at the launch event of ORS Week-2024 organised under the theme "Diarrhoea ki Roktham, Safai aur ORS se rakhen apna dhyaan" by Paediatric Association of Manipur (PAM) at the conference hall of JNIMS, here on Thursday.

JNIMS medical superintendent Prof Kh Lokeshwar and PAM president Prof Th Shyamsundar attended the event as chief guest and president respectively while JNIMS nursing superintendent Mutum Jibanlata and Central Indian Academy of Paediatrics (CIAP) - Manipur & Tripura Executive Board member Prof N Kameshwar were guests of honour.

Speaking as the resource person, Dr Radhapyari informed that every year 1.7 billion children across the globe suffer from diarrhoea.

In India, six children face the health condition every hour with virus and bacteria confirmed as the primary causes of the ailment, apart from infection due to consumption of contaminated food, she explained.

Pitching for use of ORS to prevent complications arising out of diarrhoea, the senior resident maintained that ORS Week is observed every year considering its importance in effective treatment of the ailment, especially among the children.

In his address, Prof Lokeshwar said that diarrhoea, though it may look like simply, is a serious health issue atnd one of the most common causes for child mortality across the globe.

Maintaining cleanliness is vital to prevent it and ORS the best option to prevent severe effect of diarrhoea resulting from fluid loss.

There is no specific dosage for ORS and it can be administered as much as the child can consume.

One can use ORS powder in sachet easily available in pharmacy shops.

Or else, one can administer light tea, light mixture of lemon juice with sugar and salt in water, light sugar and salt mixture with water, rice-water taken while cooking, or vegetable stew soups.

ORS or its alternatives should be administered until the loose stool stops.

At the same time, feeding solid foods help in stopping loose stool, he elaborated.

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