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Remedy for summer maladies
Patients make a beeline in the corridors of Doon Hospital. Tribune photo: Anil P Rawat
Green relief: Developing nations look to India
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Obstacles galore
Yoga is curative: Expert
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Remedy for summer maladies
Dehradun, April 28 Fruit on ice cubes or displayed atop food trays should be avoided.Most food-borne illnesses are caused by bacteria, viruses and parasites (pathogens).The fruit becomes contaminated due to biochemical changes. Also, sellers often sprinkle unclean water on fruits and vegetables to keep them fresh. Brightly coloured fruit and vegetables have special benefits, but some even shopkeepers inject colour into them and apply gloss on fruits to make them attractive and eye catching. Common symptoms of food-borne illnesses include stomach cramps, nausea, diarrhoea, headache and fever. The high-risk groups are children and the elderly with a weak immune “ Fruit juices and jal jeera should be avoided at any cost. As the food is not sterilised or refrigerated, it causes fever and diarrhoea. Fresh products can become contaminated in the fields through contact with soil, contaminated water or improper use of manure,” explained Dr KC Pant, Doon Hospital. Health experts say that fruits and vegetables provide essential micronutrients to the poor and urban poverty is on the rise. It is important to encourage the consumption of highly nutritious fruits and vegetables grown in peri-urban fringes. But these may be contaminated with heavy metals like lead and copper and zinc. “In Dehradun, small farmers are growing vegetables and melons on scanty patches of land for which water may be supplied through drains. This is a serious health hazard that needs to be checked. “The produce may contain heavy doses of metal. At times even washing the vegetables and fruits may not free them of contamination,” said Dr Pant. Doctors say in the summer months, the floating population, comprising labourers who migrate from place to place and live in unhygienic conditions, too spreads infection. “Though the situatrion is not alarming in the city, we have been monitoring cases of fever as our syndrome report alone mentions 52 jaundice cases, while a total of 101 cases were confirmed by us in the month of April,” said Dr RK Pant, CMS, Doon Hospital. The city saw four cases of measles last week. Patients with fever that lasts more than a week are being asked to undergo test for typhoid or enteric fever. Besides typhoid cases, there has also been a surge in eye flu cases among children.The infection occurring in the conjunctiva that lines the eyelid is called conjunctivitis. It occurs due to infection or allergic reaction and can spread from one eye to the other and is contagious. It arises mainly from unhealthy surroundings, eye strain, bacterial and virus infections and allergies. In acute conditions it can result in a yellow discharge, itching and burning. “Duststorms in the early weeks of April is the main trigger. The allergic reactions due to foreign particles entering the eye invariably cause eye flu. One should wear glasses and avoid harsh sunlight,” said Dr NS Jangpangi, a senior eye surgeon. While contamination of food has had the health experts worried, the quality of water being supplied by the water works department is being questioned. As of now there have been sporadic incidents of muddy water being supplied to some areas of the city. But the department claims a regular check on the quality of water being supplied. “We are collecting water samples daily in order to monitor quality and chlorination of water is also being under taken,”said Virender Negi, of the department. Leaking pipes and poor water storage conditions contribute to the health problems in the summer months. Parasites multiply and when water moves slowly or is stored or when pipes leak impurities enter the water. “People do not take adequate precautions. Water stored over a period of time is not suitable for drinking but because of water scarcity, poor families do not take rudimentary precautions,” Negi said.
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Green relief: Developing nations look to India
Dehradun, April 28
Referring to ongoing deliberations, he underlined the need for a united stand among developing countries towards seeking better compensation for themselves for the standing forests. Another forest-predominant country of Papua New Guinea that is rich in tropical rain forests suggests a national monitoring system to meet the UN Framework of Climate Change Convention guidelines. Joe Pokana, director, environment, said his nation had 46 million square kilometres of area under forests. Describing India as an important country to negotiate on behalf of the developing world for ensuring compensation for their forests, he said India had one of the best forest inventories and was capable of putting forward “our concerns.” Vietnam’s Nguyen Phuy Hing said his country was facing the impact of climate change the most. “There are apprehensions that 20 per cent of the country that falls in low-lying areas could be submerged in a few decades.” Reiterating his nation’s commitment to afforestration, Hing said apart from maintaining its 38 per cent forest cover, an additional 5 million hectares of plantation was being undertaken in Vietnam every year. Paraguay’s Danieana Mann, director, National Forest Institute, said she was visiting India for the first time and was sure the nation’s forest inventory would be of immense advantage to the developing world. She said her nation had 17 million hectares of forests and the country was laying special emphaisis on conservation and better management. Uganda’s Wesonga Wejati said India had a good experience in dealing with forestry issues and had a long history of forest inventory. “India can be of great help to my country for better assessment of forest cover and forest conditions in Uganda,” he said.
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Obstacles galore
Dehradun, April 28 But a determined Indian Council of Forestry Research Education (ICFRE) made it happen after overcoming obstacles of all kinds. It was a herculean job facilitating visits of 80 delegates from 12 countries, getting visas for them. Participating countries like Vannatu, Soloman, Costa Rica and Equatorial Guinea have no Indian embassies. After much spade work, the services of Indian embassies in neighbouring countries were sought for the purpose. Then came the problem of communication. Delegates from some participating countries had no knowledge of English and could converse in French or Spanish alone. The ICFRE authorities had to settle for four interpreters to help these non-English speaking delegates. It was for the first time that the ICFRE undertook any such exercise. The problems did not end there. Delegate from Ghana Isacc Nobel was detained at the Delhi airport as he had arrived in India without the yellow fever innoculation while another Kabyea from Congo left his luggage in Delhi and the authorities had to make arrangements for the same. But then India dis succeed in proving its clout among non-annex nations that it had the capability to negotiate for the third world countries over the issue of reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, thus laying greater emphasis on onservation and sustainable management of forest resources for climate change mitigation.
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Yoga is curative: Expert
Dehradun, April 28 Various faith-based medicines, yoga, meditation and alternative medicines can save lives at a much lower cost. He said 80% of the illnesses lie in the mind that can be cured with careful counselling. While, 10% are caused due to osteopathic reasons and can be cured with yoga and only 10% need surgery. He strongly recommended that the integrated system of medicine be adopted in urban and rural areas of the country. Experts discussed about steps to be taken to make medical treatment ethical. “It is not unusual that patients are referred to pathologists or experts which the patient feels was completely unnecessary. Some patients feel that they have been over charged or inconvenienced, the delivery of their newly born child exchanged with someone else improve the doctor-patient understanding on various issues,” said Dr P Upadhayaya, professor Emeritus and advisor HIMS as well as vice-president of the Association of British Scholars ABS.
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There has been a spurt in summer ailments in the city. Doon Hospital is witnessing a sharp rise in cases of diarrhoea, dengue, typhoid and food poisoning.
Dehradun, April 28
