It is stated in Dhammapadaya as 'arogyaa paramaa laabhaa', which means the healthiness is the best profit of life. How come healthiness is the best profit? Because an ailment could waste all you have earned as well as may lose your life. There are millionaires who become poor and heroes who faced untimely deaths due to ailments.
Why the healthiness has become such a major challenge in world that medicine is so much developed and people are so much educated? We should pay attention in this regard as we are moving towards a massive crisis in health sector.
Why the healthiness has become such a major challenge in world that medicine is so much developed and people are so much educated? We should pay attention in this regard as we are moving towards a massive crisis in health sector.
Why so much diseases?
As stated above why people suffer from so many diseases? Why spending so much money? And spending valuable time in hospitals and private clinics?
When inquired from Dr. Senaka Sisitha Gamage, Community Medical Officer in Eheliyagoda, he has clarified as follows.
He took as an instance the dengue disease which has become an epidemic.
‘‘Dengue disease is communicable through a virus. Mosquitoes of 'Aedes' category are its carriers that can spread the disease from a diseased person to a healthy person.
We as doctors are paying utmost attention on history, current status and trends of this disease. There is a direct relationship between dengue disease and immunity. Persons with weak immunity could catch the disease easily as it is caused by a virus.
He added that food pattern also impacts in this regard.
‘Only 100 persons catch the disease from 1000 persons bitten by mosquitoes. One person out of these 100 will develop it to dengue hemorrhagic fever. But the dangerous status is that millions of people are bitten by dengue mosquitoes daily. Hence we have to take action to prevent these dengue mosquito bites as the present status is extremely risky.
He added that dengue mosquito is being gradually adapted to various environmental situations and controlling methods.
Health sector has officially accepted that there is currently an epidemic situation regarding dengue especially in Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Galle, Jaffna, Ratnapura, Kurunegala, Puttalam, Batticaloa, and Ampara Districts.
Quoting the Health Minister several reports revealed that dengue mosquitoes have been reported even in Nuwara Eliya District which was considered as a mosquito free zone, and accordingly it is visible that whole country is exposed to the threat of dengue disease.
How does it happen?
Many ask the problem, 'where do so many mosquitoes live'. It can be understood easily. The main cause is the reduction of natural predators of mosquito larva such as butterflies and dragonflies. We do not pay sufficient attention in this regard.
It has been revealed that the dengue mosquito breeds not only in clean water but also in unclean water. Some researchers also fear that whether the time of active hours of dengue mosquito (after 2 hours from sunrise and before 2 hours from sunset) has changed.
In which place did the mosquito bite?
Majority of dengue patients are school children and various employees. Many nurses with much experience in health sector have also died of dengue disease.
How does this happen?
We contribute in controlling dengue by constantly cleaning our surroundings. The health sector has taken many strict steps and hence domestic surroundings have become dengue free zones. However, most of us spend more time in public spaces such as schools or workplaces within the active hours of dengue mosquito.
That is how school children and nurses become the majority of dengue victims. Large building complexes such as schools, hospitals, and government offices are good dengue breeding places. We should pay more attention on controlling mosquitoes in such places which is an essential approach for elimination of dengue disease.
No use of using nets
In this context it is clear that use of mosquito nets and lighting mosquito coils is not useful in preventing dengue disease. No use of protecting your private premises. More attention should be paid on cleanliness of public places and other's premises. We should act accountably rather than responsibly in this regard.
Mosquitoes are also under the table
We should be aware of places where dengue mosquitoes like to live. It likes to live in dark places. There may be hundreds of such places in schools and offices. Hence such mosquitoes within seconds could risk your life in danger. Hence, destroying mosquito larva is not sufficient but providing good living places for them should also be prevented.
It is advantageous to know more and more about this
Many institutions including Health Ministry have conducted many awareness programmes but public is not sufficiently educated. Hence, we should learn about features of dengue disease.
Symptoms of dengue disease
High fever/Nausea
Many institutions including Health Ministry have conducted many awareness programmes but public is not sufficiently educated. Hence, we should learn about features of dengue disease.
Symptoms of dengue disease
High fever/Nausea
Headaches
Severe joint and muscle pain
Pain behind the eyes
Mild bleeding manifestation (e.g., nose or gum bleed)
Red spots or patches on the skin
If fever prevails more than two days a qualified doctor should be consulted.
When a patient develops to the dangerous stage few especial features could be identified.
Although fever goes out symptoms will be developed
Reject to take food and liquids
If fever prevails more than two days a qualified doctor should be consulted.
When a patient develops to the dangerous stage few especial features could be identified.
Although fever goes out symptoms will be developed
Reject to take food and liquids
Weakness/restlessness
Abdominal pain
Reduction in passing urine within 06 hours or more
Bleedings (Nose, gum, skin, vagina,)
Vomit/evacuation in black/brown colour
If above features are present you should do following things.
Rest. Do not send children to school.
If above features are present you should do following things.
Rest. Do not send children to school.
Rest under a mosquito net as much as possible when fever is present
Get paracetamol duly in prescribed dosage
Prevent taking any painkillers such as Aspirin and Steroids (even as suppositories)
Drink liquids such as gruel, soup, Jeewani, milk, fruit juice.
Take easily digestible food. Avoid red, brown and black colour food.
Also avoid taking informal remedies and fake medicines which are being rumouring as good for dengue disease as there were considerable numbers of patients who have lost their lives due to such treatments within the recent past.
Drink liquids such as gruel, soup, Jeewani, milk, fruit juice.
Take easily digestible food. Avoid red, brown and black colour food.
Also avoid taking informal remedies and fake medicines which are being rumouring as good for dengue disease as there were considerable numbers of patients who have lost their lives due to such treatments within the recent past.
Special thanks, Dr. Senaka Sisitha Gamage
Note
Note
Thushal Vithanage
