Safeguarding children against MONSOON AILMENTS

In 294 million households countrywide, this is a time to gear up for the onset of infections and diseases that flourish in the damp, wet environments. Children are especially vulnerable

- KIRAN BALIMANE CYNTHIA JOHN

The bountiful monsoon which has spread across most parts of the country, has cheered farmers worried about incomes, and politicians and the common man apprehensive about inflation indices. But the monsoon season is also a time of floods, land slides, water-logged and pot-holed streets and numerous infections and illnesses. In 294 million households countrywide, this is a time to gear up for the onset of infections and diseases that flourish in the damp, wet environment. Especially in India’s ill-governed and badly maintained cities and towns vector-borne, water-borne, respiratory and other infectious diseases attack vulnerable children prompting frequent down-time, school absenteeism and parental anxiety. In the post-Covid era, many previously common-place and innocuous rainy season viruses have mutated into life-threatening life-forms.

According to the laid-back Union ministry of health and family welfare, there is a “marked rise” in cases of illnesses such as gastroenteritis, dengue, and respiratory infections during the current monsoon season. More specifically the World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that over 3.4 million people in India are affected by waterborne diseases such as dengue during monsoons. Children with developing immune systems are especially vulnerable to viruses that thrive in the rains.

For instance during the month past, Bengaluru, the ICT (information communications technology) hub city has reported a spike in the number of children struck down with respiratory illnesses and early influenza.