Baramulla: In wake of rising mercury level likely to increase diarrhoea among children, department of health in Baramulla lunched the Intensified Diarrhoea Control Fortnight (IDCF) 2019 program under the theme “Zero child dead due to childhood diarrhoea” beginning from 28 May to 9 June at Primary Health Centre (PHC) Sheeri advising people to take precautionary measures and extra care of their children as diarrhoea is common during summers.
With an aim to attain child deaths due to childhood diarrhea, Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Dr. G. N Itoo flanked by Chief Medical Officer Baramulla Dr. Bashir Ahmed Chalkoo and Block Medical Officer (BMO) Sheeri Dr. Sheikh Farooq inaugurated the fortnight awareness cum orientation program at PHC Sheeri in which scores of ASHA workers, students, Anganwari workers, doctors and paramedical staff participated. The main agenda of the program was to create awareness among people and medicos about diarrhea control in the district.
Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Dr. G. N Itoo appreciated the health department in organizing the programme and hailed the role of Asha and Anganwari workers in realizing the initiative and said they should remain active on ground in reaching every doorstep to make people especially mothers aware about the cleanliness.
“I impress upon all teachers particularly female teachers to educate and inculcate hygiene and the hand washing habits among students,” Dr. Itoo said.
Block Medical Officer (BMO) Sheeri Dr. Sheikh Farooq said, “ We need to give more emphasis to children below 5 years of age as they are more vulnerable to Diarrhoea.”
He added that IDCF was started three years back with an aim to decrease child mortality and attain zero childhood diarrhoea dead.
The activities, according to BMO Dr. Farooq , includes strengthening service provision for diarrhoea case management, establishment of ORS-Zinc corners, prepositioning of ORS by ASHA in households with under-five children and awareness generation activities for hygiene and sanitation.
Chief Medical Officer Baramulla Dr. Bashir Ahmed Chalkoo said that PHE department by supplying portable and hygienic drinking water plays an active role in addressing the issue. He urged all health workers to demonstrate and promote the importance of hand washing.
“The programme is an initiative towards achieving better health and it need coordination of education department to make the children aware and understand about the importance of hand-wash programme,” he added.
On this occasion students of Government Middle School Sheeri performed a special program on seven steps of hand washing and won applauds from audience.
Speakers informed that reduction of childhood mortality is one of the prime goals of National Health Mission and millennium Development Goals. Around 2 lakh children die due to diarrhoea annually in the country.
On this occasion officials of ICDS, Education and people from cross section of society participated in the event including Sarpancha and Panchs.
Earlier, the DC inaugurates ORS Zinc Corner at Primary Health Centre (PHC) Sheeri. The facility shall be used for the storage of essential medicines that are being used for the purpose.
