Jamshedpur, July 29: The paediatrics department of the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College and Hospital marked World ORS Day today by holding a special session on oral rehydration solution (ORS) and distributing free packets to patients.

The session on “The role of ORS in prevention of diarrhoea and its promotion in all sectors of society” gave tips to the paramedical staff and patients on the use of ORS and its promotion. Doctors from the paediatrics department suggested ways of nursing diarrhoea patients. The session included a PowerPoint presentation and a discussion on diarrhoea among paediatricians. The paramedics were told to ensure hygiene at the hospital.

“The session was part of a continuing medical education (CME) initiative and was mainly organised for the paramedics so that they know how to treat diarrhoea patients. We distributed ORS packets among all 40 patients at the paediatrics ward, out of which 23 patients are affected with diarrhoea. The paediatrics ward was chosen as children are more susceptible to the disease,” said Utsav Raj, a paediatrician of the hospital.

The patients, who are mostly from a poor background, were also shown how to prepare ORS at home and asked to maintain hygiene to prevent diarrhoea, especially common during the rainy season. They were told to mix pinches of salt and sugar in a glass of water for immediate relief, before seeking doctors’ aid.

Raj said most patients know how to prepare ORS, but they prefer to avoid it and rely on medicines prescribed by a doctor as the only solution.

Hospital superintendent S.S. Prasad and Birendra Prasad, head of the paediatrics department, distributed the ORS packets to the patients.