In one of his statements, Caretaker Health Minister Firas Al-Abyad said that it is normal for the number of cases to increase in regions over time to reach a certain stage after which it decreases, and here the importance of prevention is evident to limit the spread, and of course reduce the number of infections. And since cholera is not similar to corona, that is, it is not transmitted by breathing, but by direct contact with the injured, a number of preventive measures can be followed personally to avoid injuries, as today it is necessary to use all available means in front of us for prevention so that the Corona scenario does not recur. Terrifying.
What measures can be taken in your homes in the face of this chaos, especially at the level of sewage water, and the results that showed the presence of cholera in drinking water and drinking water in some areas?
Chlorine and immunity
You have to “chlorine”, the basic advice remains for prevention, in addition to a set of measures to be followed at the individual level, as Dr. Nidal Al-Mawla, a specialist in pressure and kidney diseases, confirms in an interview with “Lebanon 24”. According to Mawla, he had previously warned us of an outbreak of cholera, “but the intentional and unintended recklessness led us to this situation, and what was expected happened. We had a previous conversation with the “Lebanon 24″ website at the beginning of the year. We discussed the increase in the incidence of cancer, and all of this can be linked to pollution in all its forms, and weak immunity.”
Healthy, according to Mawla, the diet followed, as well as corona infections, meat and chicken that did not meet safety standards, vegetables and fruits that were saturated with contaminated water, “all of this led to a weakening of the human body’s immunity, in addition to the weak infrastructure, especially at the level of stopping the refining of drinking water due to the failure to operate plants Refining due to the continuous power cuts… all these factors formed an incubating environment for cholera.” He continues with regard to the camps, noting that they not only contain cholera, but “search the camps and you will find gynecological diseases, digestive diseases and infectious diseases, and also a large number of cases of scabies and lice have been detected.”
Prevention first
How can it be prevented? Al-Mawla indicates at the outset that all concerned ministries alone are unable to treat in the event that there is an unusual outbreak of cholera, “This requires international follow-up from the concerned associations and donors to send medical teams for treatment and follow-up and to enter the camps and isolated areas. It does not stop at Indeed, today, more than ever, we need scientific cadres, great research and experts working to clean wells and rivers, or else we will end cholera and be struck by new infectious diseases.”
Regarding treatments and preventive methods in homes, Al-Mawla says: “Yes, chlorine is important, two drops of chlorine – this substance is available in the market – per liter of water, after cleaning and sterilizing tanks, and vegetables and fruits can also be sterilized by soaking them with chlorine for half an hour. Second, it is recommended in This period is to reduce weeds and vegetables, especially as they transmit bacteria, specifically lettuce and its derivatives, and it is very difficult to get rid of the bacteria in them by washing even if we use chlorine.
Al-Mawla advises to reduce ready-made foods and to stop eating from popular markets in some streets, and to “rely on foods that are boiled, such as potatoes and grains. As well as a lot of citrus, garlic and vinegar in food cooked at home. I also advise washing vegetables with vinegar and it has great effectiveness. Finally, it is very important not to cook meat and chicken immediately from the refrigerator, but it is better to rub it with vinegar first and then cook it, to avoid cooling bacteria.
formal procedures
And Mawla continues: “As we used to say on the issue of Corona, avoid social mixing as much as you can. We do not tell people to hurry up, but rather that caution is a duty, and whoever feels any symptoms, he should go to the hospital immediately.”
The Ministry of Public Health announced a few days ago that it covers the expenses of cholera patients at its expense.
The Minister of Health confirmed, after a meeting chaired by President Najib Mikati, for the Ministerial Committee on the Spread of Epidemics, that all municipalities have been circulated about the necessity of conducting routine tests for water distributed through tanks and water distribution stores, and the need to sterilize this water with chlorine, in cooperation with the Lebanese Red Cross and supported NGOs. . For his part, Minister of Energy Walid Fayyad said during the meeting that a recommendation was issued by the Ministry of Energy to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers to take an exceptional decision to give priority to everything related to energy for the main vital assets of water, pumping and sewage treatment, which allows us to ensure access to electricity for these assets to reduce any future danger. to the spread of the epidemic.