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Director’s Note
About 3.2 million children below 5 years
of age die annually from acute diarrhoeal diseases worldwide. In
India, 0.6 to 0.7 million children die from the same disease. Oral
rehydration therapy has been successfully used for the treatment and
prevention of dehydration from acute diarrhoea. But its
implementation in India is still not satisfactory. Mothers, health
workers and practitioners should be oriented and educated to
prescribe oral rehydration therapy more frequently to save more
lives in a cost effective manner. Use of antidiarrhoeal drugs, some
of which are not only ineffective but harmful, must be avoided.
Non-vaccine intervention measures for the treatment and control of
diarrhoeal diseases like hand-washing practices, zinc
supplementation are being considered seriously for incorporation in
an effective manner in national diarrhoeal diseases control
programme. Attempts must be made to develop suitable cost effective
vaccines against at least five enteric infections, namely, Vibrio
cholerae O1, Vibrio cholerae O139, Rotavirus, enterotoxigenic E.coli
and Shigella dysenteriae type 1. General improvement in sanitation,
personal hygiene, safe water supply and disposal of human excreta
needs to be carefully taken up at the national level. Immunization
against measles should be given more coverage. Malnutrition must be
tackled properly.
The rapid progress of HIV infection in India is a matter of great
concern and concerted, collaborative efforts, both at a national and
international level, are required for finding out a effective HIV
vaccine for this killer disease. Till such vaccine is available,
health education, appropriate use of condoms, awarness and
empowerment of women and control of STD are of paramount importance.
The Institute desires to collaborate
with other national and international agencies and scientists at all
levels in its efforts to control the menace of diarrhoeal diseases.
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