HOW CAN WE PREVENT INFECTIOUS DISEASE EPIDEMICS AFTER AN EARTHQUAKE?

By Dr. Anju Adhikari


Beyond the overwhelming deaths due to crush injuries, blunt trauma and burns immediately associated with natural calamities, infectious disease outbreaks in the aftermath pose a great health threat to the survivors. Infectious disease epidemics following the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan, the 2004 Tsunami in Indonesia and Thailand and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti are some well-known examples of this phenomenon. Unplanned and overcrowded shelter, poor water and sanitation conditions, poor nutritional status or insufficient personal hygiene are often the main cause that leads to epidemics. As Nepal is now in its post impact phase, where infectious diseases outbreaks are likely to emerge within the next few weeks we need to be extra cautious about our health and sanitary conditions.

Here are some simple ways to prevent spread of communicable diseases:

1. Wear a mask if possible and cover your mouth with a handkerchief or a piece of cloth when     you cough and sneeze to prevent diseases such as flu, pneumonia, tuberculosis, measles and meningitis. Covering your mouth with bare hands will not be as effective as you may easily spread the germs while touching others.  If you do not have anything in hand cough onto your sleeves or any part of your clothing.
2. Avoid touching your mouth and eyes unnecessarily to prevent seasonal flu like swine flu.
3. Dispose materials with nasal and respiratory secretions safely in a garbage disposal.
4. Wash hands with soap especially before you eat and after every time you use the toilet.
5. Use water purifiers (liquids or tablets) following its instructions or boil water to make sure it is safe to drink to prevent from diarrhoea, cholera and hepatitis A. If water available is murky pass it through a piece of cotton cloth, then purify.
6. Make a separate place to throw waste materials and clean your surrounding regularly. 
7. Wear gloves, if possible, while cleaning up waste disposal areas.
8. If there are cases of chicken pox, measles outbreaks isolate affected ones in a separate camp.
9. Control Pests to prevent malaria and dengue. Use mosquito nets, coil and repellent lotions if available. Stagnant water should be removed or drained as they are ideal breeding sites for mosquitoes. Ditches should be filled with clean soil.

If you spot any likely cases of diarrhoea, acute respiratory infections, chicken pox or measles inform the health personnel of your area so that the disease can be confirmed, reported to the epidemiological center, managed properly, and controlled in time. It is also important not to panic over rumours and unverified stories floating in the internet. So, let’s stay calm and stay safe!