ORS Day tocelebrations at DMCH

Ludhiana, July 30, 2012: With an aim promote the use of Oral Rehydration Salt (ORS) and to educate the public about its use, Department of Pediatrics and Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) today celebrated ORS Day by organsing a role play competition on the theme ‘Public Education on ORS in Diarrrhea’. The competition was held in Pediatrics OPD of the hospital, which was witnessed by a large number of patients and their attendants.

During the programme, the participants informed that ORS is the best preventive measure for controlling diarohhea and dehydration. Oral rehydration salts (ORS) is a special drink that consists of a combination of dry salts. When properly mixed with safe water, the ORS drink can help rehydrate the body when a lot of fluid has been lost due to diarrhea. A child with diarrhea should never be given any tablets, antibiotics or other medicines unless these have been prescribed by a medical professional or a trained health worker. The best treatment for diarrhea is to drink lots of liquids and oral rehydration salts (ORS) properly mixed with water. It is advisable to use home-based ORS than those available in attractive packets in the market.

 The inexpensive homemade ORS solution consists of 8 level teaspoons of table sugar and 1 level teaspoon of table salt mixed in 1 litre of water. A half-cup of orange juice or lemon can add to its flavour.

The judges during the completion were Principal and Professor of Pediatrics- Dr Daljit Singh, Professor & Head of Pediatrics- Dr Harmesh Singh Bains, Professor of Pediatrics Dr Puneet Aulakh Pooni, Associate Professor of Obst. & Gynae- Dr Sunil Juneja and Nursing Supdt. Mrs Gurpreet Kaur. Dr Ritesh Chhabra from IAP was also presnt on the occasion.