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Diseases: We must be alert consistently
2007-04-08 10:40:33
By Editor
Several times in this editorial section, we have expressed misgivings about fire-extinguishing approaches that we take at various levels cell to national whenever we are struck by a health or medical crisis.
Cholera surfaces, vanishes and resurfaces; and, more-or-less rythmically, our vigilance does the same. Which, we have often remarked, is wrong and irresponsible, both at individual and administrative levels.
It should by now be fully clear to everyone and here we are talking, not of children some of whose mental growth may yet to be fully developed, but adults what the dos and donts of cholera are.
The disease, which weakens, tortures and kills those it strikes, springs from and thrives in conditions that are the anti-thesis of hygiene: filthy surroundings, dirty utensils, inadequately cooked food, non-boiled water and unwashed hands applied as tools for conveying food to the mouth.
Because it is a fast-spreading and fast-killing disease, cholera sends chills of panic down our collective spine whenever it strikes.
Administrators swing into action, sensitizing people on things that sensible adults should know and undertake as a matter of course, such as boiling drinking water and eating food served on clean plates.
Tough decisions and measures are thrown into the bargain, such as happened a few months ago, when bars in sections of districts in Dar es Salaam that had recorded cholera patients were closed because besides fears over the safety of roast meat sold in the kitchen wings, it was feared that even presumably dirty glasses could be infection agents !
Troops of disinfecting agents were dispatched to households, to reinforce the anti-cholera war. Then, per routine, the more the figure of cholera-linked hospital admissions dropped, the more the vigilance was relaxed.
There were no more or token ones at the very best inspections of food outlets to monitor compliance to hygienic safeguards.
This of course doesn`t translate as victory over cholera. It simply means that it is hiding somewhere, awaiting re-emergence.
It also means that many people are hit by stomach or intestinal problems which, because they are not on the frightful cholera scale, and are isolated, they do not attract publicity.
It means, then, that we are waging the war in reverse: that filth, garbage, poor hygiene continua !
In the wake of the Rift Valley Fever scare, much as the disease is of a different brand, we are back to square one of reminders on basics like hygiene.
It would be heart-warming, reassuring and good for us all health-wise, if the signals the disease flashes will convert us into consistent promoters of hygienic safeguards and full-time alert warriors against disease breeders.
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