Prevent summer diseases

(Baonghean) -Currently, the work of preventing summer diseases is being focused on and proactively carried out by all levels and sectors with many positive measures. However, to successfully prevent diseases, the most important thing is still the awareness of disease prevention and self-protection of the people. Localities, organizations, units, schools and all people need to strictly follow the notes and recommendations from health agencies.

Hand washing with soap launching ceremony in Dien Chau district.

In the summer, the hot and humid climate creates favorable conditions for microorganisms to grow, so this is also the season for disease outbreaks, especially acute infectious diseases in children, due to poor resistance and incomplete immune systems... As the mother of two children aged 1 and 4, Ms. Dinh Thi Anh Hoai, Hung Lam commune, Hung Nguyen district, is extremely worried about the health of her two children. Ms. Hoai said: The couple does not have their own house, so they have to rent a room in a dormitory. The room is cramped and hot, and the older child has a lot of prickly heat. Since the beginning of the dry season, the couple has installed an air conditioner, cleaned the house neatly to ensure ventilation. The bushes and puddles around the house are cleared and covered to avoid flies and mosquitoes. The children's food and drink are also given more attention. When summer comes, the biggest concern is the risk of hand, foot and mouth disease, dengue fever, digestive disorders...

To prevent summer diseases, Ha Huy Tap Kindergarten (with more than 900 children) has applied many measures: maintaining general hygiene of the classroom environment such as cleaning floors, tables, chairs, and toys with 2% Cloramin B solution or soap. Strengthening communication work, instructing parents, especially students, to practice good personal hygiene: oral hygiene; washing hands before and after eating, after going to the toilet, eating cooked food, drinking boiled water to limit diseases transmitted through the digestive tract, including hand, foot and mouth disease. All classrooms are equipped with air conditioners and are airy. Ms. Hoang Thi Thanh Nhan, Principal of the school, said: The school's teachers regularly monitor the health status of the children to notify and recommend timely treatment for children with signs of illness. Recently, the school also organized a Health and Nutrition Contest for Children with the participation of many teachers, students and parents. The contest aims to improve people's knowledge, thereby better caring for children.

According to Dr. Dang Huu Cuong, Head of the Department of Disease Control, Vinh City Medical Center: Recently, measles has broken out strongly in Vinh City. In addition, there have been a number of other epidemics such as hand, foot and mouth disease and chickenpox. However, they have only been sporadic, not yet concentrated into an epidemic. According to reports from commune health stations, since the beginning of the year, Vinh City has recorded 1 child with hand, foot and mouth disease and 50 children with chickenpox, no children with dengue fever. Information from the Nghe An Department of Health in other districts in the province shows that the epidemic situation is also at a similar level; there have been children with common hand, foot and mouth disease, but no disease caused by the dangerous virus EV 71 has been detected; there are 3 patients suspected of having dengue fever (tested negative).

Present at the Examination Department of Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital, according to the reporter's records: Among the more than 500 children coming here for examination every day, there are many children with symptoms related to summer epidemics such as dermatitis, cough, fever, diarrhea. Talking with Dr. Lam Van Tra - Deputy Head of the Examination Department, it is known that: The number of children with hand, foot and mouth disease, chickenpox is not much and has appeared sporadically since the beginning of the year. Most of them are at a mild level, so the hospital prescribes and guides treatment at home, at the medical station. It is worth noting that the number of children with summer epidemics such as viral pneumonia, respiratory infections has increased, accounting for half of the number of children coming for examination. Dr. Tra commented: Among summer epidemics, chickenpox appears more than last year. When severe heat waves appear and last for a long time, summer epidemics, especially in children and the elderly, will break out.

Vaccination against epidemics for children at Hung Loc Commune Health Station, Vinh City.

According to the Department of Preventive Medicine, Ministry of Health: Since the beginning of the year, the country has recorded 17,410 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease, 16,380 cases of chickenpox in most southern provinces and cities. The number of cases has increased compared to the same period in 2013 (7,900 cases). In 11 central provinces and cities, more than 1,000 cases of dengue fever have been recorded; 1,133 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease and 20 cases of viral encephalitis, meningococcal meningitis, including one death... Compared to other localities, in Nghe An, the disease pattern is currently less diverse and the level of danger is less. However, the province should not be complacent, especially at this time when measles is still very "hot". With the determination not to let "epidemic overlap epidemic", Nghe An Provincial People's Committee issued Official Letter No. 3013/UBND-VX, dated May 9, 2014, requesting the Department of Health, the Department of Education and Training, the People's Committees of districts, cities and towns and related sectors to strengthen the prevention and control of hand, foot and mouth disease and dengue fever. Doctor Nguyen Xuan Hong, Deputy Director of Nghe An Department of Health said: In response to the direction, on May 9, 2014, Nghe An Department of Health also issued an official letter requesting medical examination and treatment facilities in the area to coordinate with medical centers to strengthen monitoring, early detection of cases of hand, foot and mouth disease and dengue fever to promptly isolate and treat, thoroughly handle outbreaks, not to let them spread to the community; hospitals ensure the need for medicine, supplies, chemicals, medical equipment to organize the admission and treatment of patients; implementing a communication campaign to wash hands with soap - responding to the patriotic hygiene movement to improve people's health; ASEAN Day for Prevention and Control of Dengue Fever...

Summer epidemics are all infectious diseases that are easily spread. If infected cases are not detected and isolated in time, the virus will easily spread and infect others. If people do not have the awareness to protect themselves and their family members, it will be difficult to prevent the spread of dangerous epidemics. Doctor Lam Van Tra, Deputy Head of the Examination Department of the Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital, recommends: In addition to the efforts of the health sector, people need to be more active in the prevention and control of summer epidemics such as vaccination for diseases that can be prevented by vaccination... In addition, at the beginning of summer, the environmental temperature begins to increase. To prevent the spread of disease, people need to keep their houses and toilets well-ventilated, open the doors but ensure that there is no draft to avoid viruses remaining in the environment. For diseases that have no vaccine to prevent such as hand, foot and mouth disease, dengue fever, people must strictly follow the recommendations of the health sector in disease prevention, paying attention to personal hygiene and washing hands regularly with soap, especially before preparing food, before eating and when feeding, holding children, changing diapers... Children must be regularly monitored for their health to promptly detect, isolate and treat cases of illness, and avoid spreading the disease to other children. Nurseries, kindergartens, concentrated child care groups and households with children under 6 years old need to proactively monitor their children's health to promptly detect and immediately take them to medical facilities for timely treatment. Sick children must be isolated for at least 10 days from the onset of the disease, and children showing symptoms of illness must not be allowed to attend class or play with other children.

Thanh Son