WESTERN regional branch of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSG) has embarked on a sensitisation programme to educate churches and schools on diarrhea and typhoid fever.
The project is meant to highlight on the important role pharmacists play in providing care to the public, and also to emphasise the emotional connection they have with their patients.
Led by a Senior Pharmacist at the regional Public Health Unit, Mrs. Wilhelmina T. Duah Morttey, they (the pharmacists) educated the churches on diarrhea and its prevention.
According to her, diarrhea which is caused by bacteria occurs when there is an increased secretion of fluid into the intestine, a reduced absorption of fluid from the intestine or rapid passage of stool through the intestine.
She explained that symptoms associated with diarrhea include abdominal pain or cramping, nausea, vomiting and frequent passing of loose watery feaces.
Mrs. Duah Morttey further explained that when one becomes dehydrated he or she can be treated with home remedies, such as coconut water or even rice water.
“But in most cases zinc and Oral dehydration solution (ORS) is very effective and I highly recommend the use of zinc because it is good for the development of the immune system.
“Diarrhea can last from several days to weeks depending on whether it is acute or chronic and so persons suffering from diarrhea should be given first aid before taken to the hospital,” he advised.
She said the first important thing to consider in diarrhea prevention is the environment.
According to her, where people live must always be kept clean.
“People should also adopt proper personal hygienic methods by washing their hands properly before eating, cleaning utensils properly and covering our foods to prevent flies from infesting them,” she pointed out.
She also advised that fruits and vegetables must be washed with salt solution so as to kill bacteria before eating them
For her part, chairperson of Western regional branch of PSG, Mrs. Yaa Pokuaa Baiden, said her outfit’s aim was to let the public know the services they offer.
She revealed that 1.7 billion people were infected with diarrhea every day while out of this, 760,000 children die every year.
Statistics in the region, according to her, indicates that in 2015, 123 cases of diarrhea were recorded.
She continued that 43 cases of typhoid fever were recorded which resulted in three deaths in the year 2015 while 47 cases were recorded in 2016.
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