A Medical Consultant at the University Of Uyo Medical Centre, Nurse, Eduwem George has urged people to practice proper sanitation and hygiene as it serves as a remedy for the reduction of diarrhoeal morbidity.
Nurse Eduwem noted that exclusive breastfeeding reduces the severity of diarrhea occurring in young children, stressing that children with poor nutritional and health status, as well as those exposed to poor environmental conditions, are more susceptible to severe diarrhoea and dehydration than healthy children.
Speaking with our correspondent, Uwakmfon Walter, in an interview, the medical expert stated that lack of access to clean water, poor sanitation, sub-optimal feeding practices, inadequate hand-washing, inadequate breastfeeding, poor health care access, among others are other contributors to the disease burden, especially among children under five, adding that the symptoms include frequent loose, watery stools, abdominal cramps, abdominal pain, fever, blood in stool, light-headedness or dizziness from dehydration.
The medical expert also said a significant proportion of diarrhoeal disease can be prevented by promoting exclusive breastfeeding, adequate sanitation and hygiene, improved nutrition, Vitamin A supplementation, measles vaccine and other vaccines against intestinal pathogens, among others.
According to the World Health Organisation, there are nearly 1.7 billion cases of childhood diarrhoeal disease every year, noting that it is both preventable and treatable. Reports also say diarrhoeal disease is the third leading cause of death in children 1–59 months of age.