Question

Discuss what primary interventions can prevent child deaths from diarrheal diseases? What secondary and tertiary interventions are effective at preventing child infectious disease mortality (i.e, from diarrheal diseases)?

Answer 1

primary interventions- use of ORS and continued feeding, including breastfeeding, during diarrhea and limited the use of antibiotics to only cases of bloody diarrhea. Continued feeding was a paradigm shift away from the practice of with holding foods during diarrhea and was shown to reduce malnutrition and mortality in infants and children. Research led to the development of a treatment algorithm for this syndrome.zinc supplementation during diarrhea based on studies showing that zinc shortened the duration of acute diarrhea and prevented subsequent episodes in the 2 to 3 months following its use .Rehydration: with intravenous fluids in case of severe dehydration or shock.Nutrient-rich foods: the vicious circle of malnutrition and diarrhoea can be broken by continuing to give nutrient-rich foods – including breast milk – during an episode, and by giving a nutritious diet – including exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life – to children when they are well.

secondary interventions- access to safe drinking-water;use of improved sanitation;hand washing with soap;exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life;good personal and food hygiene;health education about how infections spread; androtavirus vaccination.

tertiary intervention-

Ensure availability of adequate medical supplies such as oral rehydration solution

• Improve training programs for health workers and educate them on the proper treatment of diarrhea

• Ensure that facilities for handwashing, provision of safe water, and proper disposal of human waste are provided at all healthcare facilities

• Encourage appropriate antibiotic use

• Meet demand for health workers

• Support community health workers,Improve training programs,Seek creative ways to motivate them.

• Provide rotavirus vaccination

• Invest in safe drinking water, hygiene, and sanitation infrastructure

• Monitor progress and needs through the collection, analysis, and reporting of quality data

• Support clear and targeted health promotion and behavior change programs.

• Support and promote the importance of community health workers

  • Ensure safe water is provided close to people’s homes

  • Discourage/eliminate open defecation

  • Develop strategies for proper disposal of human waste

  • Construct basic sanitation facilities• Promote handwashing