DIARRHEA, KILLER OF CHILDREN By Roilo Golez, 2014

DIARRHEA, KILLER OF CHILDREN

By Roilo Golez, 2014

Per recent World Health Rankings the Philippines is No. 83 at 8 deaths per 100,000; Somalia at No. 1 having highest rate of 179 deaths per 100,000 out of 192 countries. Best is Estonia, No.192 with zero death. (http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/cause-of-death/diarrhoeal-diseases/by-country/ )

That's a sharp decline over the last five years, but not enough.  A child’s death is one death too many.

Wesleyan President Michael Roth enjoined: “Provoke care: tell stories about the fate of a child… who is actually robust and running around.. and suddenly because of... some water that has microbes… this kid has diarrhea... he won’t survive on his 5th birthday. These are the stories that we need to tell people so as to provoke their care.”

There are still 13 Filipinos below five who die every year because of diarrhea.

The environment is the principal culprit for diarrhea, harboring the deadly microbes in places with no access to clean water.

Addressing the environment, providing the infrastructure for clean water for all in remote, poor is too tall an order for the government. The alternative is promote sanitation, handwashing and provide vaccines for prevention.

Fortunately, private associations like the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines, pushes everyone to care.  Association President Dr. Sally Gatchalian said “vaccines against diarrhea are available but lack of awareness have led to the deaths of many children.”

Stressing there are still 13 children below five who die of diarrhea every day, Gatchalian urged: “It’s the best time to raise awareness on... diarrhea prevention... Sometimes, it’s just that parents don’t know... that there are actually vaccines for them,” said Gatchalian, who is also the deputy director of the Philippine Foundation for Vaccination.

Another NGO is media-based GMA Kapuso Foundation which works  with the UNICEF, aware that lack of clean water and poor hygiene contribute significantly to diarrhea that causes Filipino children to miss school. The NGO and UNICEF started a joint campaign to teach Filipino children the practice of handwashing to save lives, including teaching them the alternatives to soap.

NGO GMA KAPUSO declared: “Children have a right to basic facilities such as school toilets, clean water, clean surroundings and information on good hygiene. It should follow the example in the lecture of having a handwashing ambassador, following India’s Help A Child Reach 5 campaign - promoted by Kajol, Indian Actress, Handwashing Ambassador to teach children to wash hands.

The government must strengthen its campaign for cleaner, more hygienic environment through people awareness and participation, as stated in the article Control of Diarrheal Diseases Program http://publichealthresources.blogspot.com/2013/09/control-of-diarrheal-diseases-program.html. This includes continued campaign against open defecation in remote areas by teaching sanitation through latrines, garbage and pest control.

 And finally, we the better off should help.

Spread the word through Facebook, Twitters, etc. Let's urge people to care, give time, money.

Wesleyan President Roth said: “Marshall resources: Wealthy nations and world organizations can work together with private enterprise to bring resources to bear for those who need them the most. Sanitation, preventive care and basic nourishment, not that expensive, if we can find ways to bring them to countries that need them the most, then we can systematically reduce the rate of morbidity.” 

Within the Philippines, wealthy persons should help the poor. A vaccine from India costs only $0.90 to save a young life. I will propose to our Rotary Club that we adopt a vaccination program.

Finally, I submit Dr. Jerry Sachs' message: "Keep learning.  ...with eyes open, heart filled, mind filled with lots of good ideas and tools, there’s no shortage of great things to do over the next thirty years. "