UNIT- X HEALTH EDUCATION

UNIT- X HEALTH EDUCATION

The general public has very little consideration towards health. Knowledge about health is very important to improve and maintain the health of an individual and groups and to lead a healthy life. It’s our responsibility to educate students on health. This is possible by providing opportunities to gain knowledge, skills and attitudes on Health.

The school has to play a prominent role in directing future generation for a healthy living.  The  teacher  is  always  bound  to  help  the  student’s  development-physically  and mentally. But, this alone will not suffice to develop the personality. Physical and mental development should be proportionately balanced, in a good personality

Concept of Health

There are a number of things you want to do, but there are times when you find that you are not well enough to do all that you want to do. Even on a regular morning, when every member of the house is getting ready, there is so much to do  - someone wants breakfast, your sister wants her shirt to be ironed, your little brother realizes that his shoes are not polished. Your mother is trying to cope up with everything. You want to share some responsibilities with your mother, but you do not have enough energy to do so, because your body is so weak that it cannot take extra stress. This shows that your body can function effectively only when it is healthy.

Definition of health

You may say  ‘health’ is the absence of disease. According to the World Health Organization, “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well being and not merely the absence of disease.”

Can you now list the signs of good health? Also, can you tell why this listing is necessary? Yes, you are right. If you know the signs of good health, you can recognize a healthy person, or know if you yourself are in a state of health. Let us study the signs in
detail now.

Signs of Good Health

To look for signs of good health, we must examine all the three aspects-physical, mental and social.

A. Physical health

A person who enjoys good physical health is one who -
      ü  is energetic

ü  has good posture

ü  weighs normal for age and height

ü  has all body organs functioning normally ü  has a clear and clean skin

ü  has bright eyes

ü  has good textured and shining hair

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ü  has a clean breath
ü  has a good appetite
ü  gets sound sleep

Physical health is easy to detect and describe. A person is physically healthy if he or she looks alert and responsive.

B. Social heath

A person with good social health -

ü  gets along well with people around
ü  has pleasant manners

ü  helps others

ü  fulfills responsibility towards others

A  person  is  socially  healthy  if  he  or  she  can  move  in  the  society  confidently with others.

C. Mental health

Mental health implies -

ü  Control on emotions

ü  Sensitive to the needs of others
ü  Confidence in one’s own abilities

ü  Freedom from unnecessary tensions, anxieties and worries

A person is mentally healthy if he or she is relaxed and free from any worries

PHYSICAL, SOCIAL AND MENTAL HEALTH ARE INTER RELATED

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You would be surprised to note that all three aspects of health are related. Have you
noticed that when your brother has been through an illness, he becomes irritable? He loses
his temper much faster than in his healthy days. Why? He lacks in physical energy and gets
frustrated when he can’t do things that he wants to do. Hence he gets angry, cries, shouts,
screams and fights. Have you heard of? Cases where people develop high blood pressure
because they worry too much or develop ulcers in the stomach because they are tens all the
time? Hence, you can see that a change in any one aspect of health, that is social or mental
or physical, has an effect on the other aspects also. All the three aspects are inter-related
and to be called healthy, one must have good health in all the three aspects.

Nutrition

Nutrition is an input to and foundation for health and development. Better nutrition
means stronger immune systems, less illness and better health. Healthy children learn
better.  Healthy  people  are  stronger,  are  more  productive  and  more  able  to  create
opportunities to gradually break the cycles of both poverty and hunger in a sustainable way.
Better nutrition is a prime entry point to ending poverty and a milestone to achieving better
quality of life. Freedom from hunger and malnutrition is a basic human right and their
alleviation is a fundamental prerequisite for human and national development.

The WHO- Government of India collaborative program is organized into 4 areas of work:

ü  Infant and Young Child Feeding

ü  Growth Assessment and Surveillance

ü  Reduction of Micronutrient Malnutrition
      ü  Nutrition in Development and Crisis
 Sanitation

India has a population of almost 1.2 billion people. 55% of this population (nearly 600 million people) has no access to toilets. Most of these numbers are made up by people who live in urban slums and rural areas. A large populace in the rural areas still defecates in the open. Slum dwellers in major metropolitan cities, reside along railway tracks and have no access to toilets or a running supply of water. The situation in urban areas in terms of scale is not as serious as rural areas. However what escalate problems in urban areas is poor sewerage systems and highly congested living conditions.

A sewerage system, if present at all, suffers from poor maintenance which often
leads to overflow of raw sewage. Today, cities are highly populated. Over 20 cities have over
a million residents, including the metropolises of Mumbai, New Delhi and Kolkata. In these
places the existing sewerage systems, built to serve a population of around 3 million people,
can’t handle the wastewater produced by an average of  12-14 million residents. What
makes matters worse is that the existing infrastructure isn’t suited to cater to the needs of
an exponentially growing population. Wastewater treatment facilities are inadequate- India

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neither has enough water to flush out city effluents, nor does it have enough sewage treatment plants. A report suggests that only 30% of India’s water is treated. The rest of the water makes its  way  into streams  and  rivers  inducing major problem-water pollution. According to the country’s tenth 5 year plan, 75% of India’s surface water resources are polluted and 80% of this is due to sewage alone.

Needless to say this has a severe impact on human health. The water pollution aids the transmission of oral-fecal diseases like diarrhea and other intestinal infections such as round worm and hook worm. Diarrhea alone accounts for over 535,000 deaths in children fewer than 5 years of age. Several malnutrition cases in children due to contaminated water have  also  been  reported.  Polluted  water  is  also  breeding  grounds  for  mosquitoes. Mosquitoes, carriers of diseases like Malaria and Dengue fever are responsible for another 300,000 deaths in our country annually.

In addition to health issues, poor sanitary measures set India back by billions of dollars every year. Illnesses are costly to families, and to the economy as a whole in terms of productivity  losses  and  expenditures  on  medicines  and  health  care.  The  economic repercussions are also evident in other areas like fisheries and tourism which are also hit by water related problems. As per World Bank statistics India’s nominal GDP stands at  1.3 Trillion dollars and we are currently ranked 11th in the world on basis of nominal GDP. If we could cut down expenses incurred due to illnesses and lack of productivity due to illnesses, our economy would get the impetus it needs to flourish even more. This in turn would enable governmental agencies to improve sanitation standards and medical infrastructure which would in turn help improve living standards of people. Overcoming the demons of poor sanitation and addressing health issues arising out of the same will surely help us become a global superpower in a holistic sense.

Communicable diseases - India is undergoing an epidemiologic, demo-graphic and health transition. The expectancy of life has increased, with consequent rise in degenerative diseases of aging and life-styles. Nevertheless, communicable diseases are still dominant and constitute major public health issues.

The research strategy adopted by the Council is a balance between the upstream
(fundamental   and   basic)   and   downstream (product   development/evaluation   and

operational)  research.  Through  the  network  of  its  disease-specific  Institutes/Regional
Medical Research Centers and extramural research programme, the Council is supporting
and encouraging biomedical research in communicable diseases. New viral and bacterial
infections have been identified. Monitoring of anti-microbial resistance to commonly used
drugs is being extended to include more organisms. Disease surveillance at the molecular
level has been expanded and strengthened. Studies to assess disease burden not only in
terms of morbidity and mortality but also economic are high on the Council’s agenda.

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Feasibility of effective strategies under field conditions for control of infectious diseases is being demonstrated. Research support to eradicate target diseases has been intensified. Development and evaluation of diagnostic tools, drugs and vaccines is being undertaken. Programme relevant research to strengthen the national health programmes and human resource development are an integral part of the efforts of the Council towards control of communicable diseases.

A   communicable   disease   is   an   illness   transmitted   through   contact   with microorganisms.  People,  animals,  food,  surfaces,  and  air  can  all  be  carriers  of  the microorganisms that pass infectious illnesses from one host to the next. The exchange of fluids or contact with a contaminated substance or individual may be enough to allow a communicable disease to spread.

Types of Illnesses

There are many different types of communicable illnesses, including mild, acute infections and more complex chronic diseases. Colds and influenza are two very common viral infections that pass from person-to-person through fluids, infected surfaces, and close contact with sick people. Luckily, these common illnesses are often quite mild and clear up without drugs or medication.

Moderately serious communicable diseases include chicken pox and measles. These
typically pass from host-to-host through the same methods as colds and the flu, such as
through contact with infected fluids such as saliva or phlegm. Since these diseases can cause
complications and more serious symptoms, they often require the use of antibiotics.

Control of Communicable

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Staph and strep infections, which are caused by Staphylococcus and Streptococcus
bacteria, can pass through many different forms of contact, and can develop into life
threatening illnesses. Symptoms of staph infections include skin rashes and high fevers,
while strep infections often attack the throat, causing extreme pain and swelling. While a
bacterial communicable disease is usually treated with antibiotics, certain strains of both
strep and staph infections have evolved to be partially immune to many medications. It may

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take months of antibiotic therapy and other treatments to fully cure a drug-resistant strain of staph or strep.

A communicable disease that passes through sexual contact is called a sexually transmitted disease (STD) or infection (STI). Some STDs, such as Chlamydia, are treatable with medication, while others, such as herpes and HIV, cause chronic infection. While there are other ways to contract these infections, they are most commonly passed from one sexual partner to another through sexual fluids or by genital skin contact.

In addition to bacterial and viral infections, a communicable disease can also be
caused by tiny bugs known as parasites. Lice is a common type of parasite that nests in body
hair, and  can  easily  be  transmitted  from  person-to-person  or from  animals  to people
through contact. Since the parasites or their eggs can be transferred to surfaces, such as
hairbrushes, pillows, or clothing, they can easily latch on to the next host that uses the same
objects.

Methods of Transmission

There are many different ways that communicable infections get around. Saliva and
phlegm are common culprits for the transmission of bacterial and viral infections. If a sick
person coughs or sneezes, tiny droplets of infected saliva start spreading through the air,
sometimes infecting those nearby. Sick people may also accidentally get traces of infected
saliva or phlegm on their hands, leaving traces of the bacteria or virus on any object they
touch.

Diseases  carried  in  the  blood  can  be  passed  in  several  different  ways.  Blood
transmissions  are  usually  carefully  screened  for  diseases,  since  they  can  easily  pass
infections along. Passing blood infections can also occur when people share unsterilized
needles. Mosquitoes and other biting bugs can also pass blood-related illnesses from host-
to-host; West Nile virus and malaria are two illnesses commonly passed through mosquito
bites.

Milk is another vehicle for some communicable diseases. When dairy cows or goats are infected with microorganisms, the disease may spread this way. Human breast milk can also transmit certain illnesses from mother to child, notably HIV.

Diseases can also be transmitted through food, especially if it is prepared incorrectly or in an unsanitary area. Eating vegetables that aren't carefully washed or meat that isn't properly cooked can lead to stomach illnesses and food poisoning. If people are not careful about washing their hands or sterilizing kitchen equipment, many different types of bacteria and viruses may contaminate their food.

Prevention

People can help prevent the spread of communicable diseases with good hygiene
and sanitary habits. If a person gets sick, he or she should avoid close contact with other
people, sneeze or cough into tissues or a handkerchief, and regularly wash his or her hands

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to reduce the changes of spreading the disease. Healthy people may be able to avoid many illnesses by washing their hands regularly and staying out of crowded public locations when an illness is going around.

Getting  vaccinated  is  another  good  method  of  stopping  disease  transmission. Vaccinations use dead bacteria or virus strains to help the body create antibodies, which help stop the live form of the disease from causing an infection. Getting regular vaccinations can go a long way toward preventing many serious illnesses.

Proper precautions can greatly lower the risk of getting sexually transmitted diseases. Barrier method contraception, such as condoms, help reduce bodily fluid contact, which in turn reduces the chance of infection passing from one partner to another. People can also significantly lower their risk by insisting that partners get tested for STDs before engaging in sexual contact.

Prevention is also an important part of public health initiatives. For examples, some regions offer flu vaccines each year to help ward off epidemics caused by influenza. Some countries require all children be immunized before attending school to prevent outbreaks of illnesses such as measles. Governments aid prevention by providing upgraded water and sewer treatment programs and imposing sanitation requirements on restaurants, grocery stores, and farms. If an epidemic is underway, government health organizations may post travel warnings, test incoming travelers for illnesses, and provide free treatment to help reduce the rate of infection.

Treatments

Treating a communicable disease depends largely on the cause. Bacterial infections are usually treated with antibiotics, while viral infections may be treated with anti-viral drugs. Parasites can often be eliminated by killing off the parasite with specially formulated shampoos and medication.

Some chronic diseases cannot fully be eliminated, but can be managed. A person infected with herpes, for instance, will always have the disease, but outbreaks of sores may be prevented or reduced with certain drugs. HIV patients often use a multi-drug cocktail to slow the immune system damage caused by the virus. Since viruses and bacteria evolve constantly, medical research on cures for chronic diseases is an ongoing process, with new drugs and therapies created each year.

BACTERIAL DISEASES

TUBERCULOSIS

Tuberculosis accounts for a loss of approximately 11 million disability adjusted life
years (DALYs). The burden of disease may increase further with the emergence of the HIV
epidemic. The Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP) which covers more than 120
million populations has successfully treated approximately 80% of patients in 48 districts of
16 states and Union Territories. Treatment success rates have more than doubled and death

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rates have decreased by 75 per cent. The ICMR’s Tuberculosis Research Centre (TRC) at
Chennai is providing research support to the RNTCP through the conduct of basic, applied
and operational research to develop better tools and training strategies for tuberculosis
control.

LEPROSY

As a result of the introduction of multidrug therapy (MDT) in the national disease control programme, 98 of 122 countries have reached the goal of elimination of leprosy as a public health problem. However, the prevalence of leprosy in India is still around 5/10,000 population.  The new  case detection  rate has  also not shown any appreciable  decline. Twenty four other endemic countries share a similar situation. For all such countries, the deadline for elimination of leprosy has been extended by the WHO Leprosy Elimination Project to the year 2005. The Council’s Central JALMA Institute for Leprosy (CJIL), Agra is focusing its research activities to find solutions to problems related to the persistence of leprosy in India through better understanding of the disease process.

DIARRHOEAL DISEASES

The National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED), Calcutta and RMRC, Bhubaneswar continued to pursue their research goals on different facets of diarrheal diseases.  The  NICED,  Calcutta  has  earned  an  important  affiliation  with  the  Japanese International Collaborating  Programme.  Its  active  surveillance  programme  continues  to monitor  the  newly  emerging  diarrheal  pathogens  and  addresses  unknown  frontiers  in clinical diagnosis and disease management

MALARIA

The emergence of chloroquin resistance in Pfalciparum and vector resistance to commonly used insecticides are the main obstacles in the control of malaria in the country. New technologies are being introduced for malaria control under Enhanced Malaria Control Programme. The roll back malaria programme has been launched simultaneously in all malaria endemic countries. These have thrown new challenges in malaria research. The Council’s institutes viz. Malaria Research Centre  (MRC), Vector Control Research Centre (VCRC) and other institutes are making efforts to address these problems through focused research in vector and parasite biology and ecology, development of malaria control tools, drug development, testing and validation of new technologies.

Safety and First Aid

First aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury. It is usually performed by non-expert, but trained personnel to a sick or injured person until definitive medical treatment can be accessed. Certain self-limiting illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care past the first aid intervention. It generally consists of a series of simple and in some cases, potentially life-saving techniques that an individual can be trained to perform with minimal equipment.

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While first aid can also be performed on all animals, the term generally refers to care of human patients.

The key aims of first aid can be summarized in three key points:^[5]

   Preserve life: the overriding aim of all medical care, including first aid, is to save lives
   Prevent further harm: also sometimes called prevent the condition from worsening,
      or danger of further injury, this covers both external factors, such as moving a
      patient away from any cause of harm, and applying first aid techniques to prevent
      worsening of the condition, such as applying pressure to stop a bleed becoming
      dangerous.

   Promote recovery: first aid also involves trying to start the recovery process from
      the illness or injury, and in some cases might involve completing a treatment, such as
      in the case of applying a plaster to a small wound

First aid training also involves the prevention of initial injury and responder safety, and the treatment phases

Certain skills are considered essential to the provision of first aid and are taught
ubiquitously.  Particularly  the  "ABC"s  of  first  aid,  which  focus  on  critical  life-saving
intervention, must be rendered before treatment of less serious injuries. ABC stands for
Airway, Breathing, and Circulation. The same mnemonic is used by all emergency health
professionals. Attention must first be brought to the airway to ensure it is clear. Obstruction
(choking) is a life-threatening emergency. Following evaluation of the airway, a first aid
attendant  would  determine  adequacy  of  breathing  and  provide  rescue  breathing  if
necessary. Assessment of circulation is now not usually carried out for patients who are not
breathing, with first aiders now trained to go straight to chest compressions  (and thus
providing artificial circulation) but pulse checks may be done on less serious patients.

Some organizations add a fourth step of "D" for Deadly bleeding or Defibrillation, while
others consider this as part of the Circulation step. Variations on techniques to evaluate and
maintain the ABCs depend on the skill level of the first aider. Once the ABCs are secured,
first aiders can begin additional treatments, as required. Some organizations teach the same
order of priority using the "3Bs": Breathing, Bleeding, and Bones  (or "4Bs": Breathing,
Bleeding,  Brain,  and  Bones).  While  the  ABCs  and 3Bs  are  taught  to  be  performed

sequentially, certain conditions may require the consideration of two steps simultaneously. This includes the provision of both artificial respiration and chest compressions to someone who is not breathing and has no pulse, and the consideration of cervical spine injuries when ensuring an open airway.

PRESERVING LIFE

In order to stay alive, all persons need to have an open airway—a clear passage
where air can move in through the mouth or nose through the pharynx and down in to the
lungs, without obstruction. Conscious people will maintain their own airway automatically,

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but those who are unconscious (with a GCS of less than 8) may be unable to maintain a patent airway, as the part of the brain which automatically controls breathing in normal situations may not be functioning.

If the patient was breathing, a first aider would normally then place them in the recovery position, with the patient leant over on their side, which also has the effect of clearing  the  tongue  from  the  pharynx.  It  also  avoids  a  common  cause  of  death  in unconscious patients, which is choking on regurgitated stomach contents.

The airway can also become blocked through a foreign object becoming lodged in the pharynx or larynx, commonly called choking. The first aider will be taught to deal with this through a combination of ‘back slaps’ and ‘abdominal thrusts’.

Once the airway has been opened, the first aider would assess to see if the patient is breathing. If there is no breathing, or the patient is not breathing normally, such as agonal breathing, the first aider would undertake what is probably the most recognized first aid procedure—cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR, which involves breathing for the patient, and manually massaging the heart to promote blood flow around the body.

PROMOTING RECOVERY

The first aider is also likely to be trained in dealing with injuries such as cuts, grazes or bone fracture. They may be able to deal with the situation in its entirety (a small adhesive bandage on a paper cut), or may be required to maintain the condition of something like a broken bone, until the next stage of definitive care (usually an ambulance) arrives.

Animal bites and scratches, even minor ones, can lead to complications. In kids, the majority of animal bites are caused by dogs. Some bites can become infected, especially those inflicted by cats, due to the type of bacteria in the animal’s mouth. Whether the animal is a family pet or a creature from the wild, scratches and bites can carry disease. For example, cat scratch disease, a bacterial infection, can be transmitted by a cat scratch (usually from a kitten) even if the site of the scratch doesn't look infected.

A child whose tetanus shots are not up to date will need a tetanus injection after an
animal bite to prevent tetanus infection. Certain animals — such as bats, raccoons, and

foxes — can transmit             rabies

What to Do:

If the bite or scratch wound is      bleeding, apply pressure to the area with a clean

bandage or towel until the bleeding stops. If available, use clean latex or rubber gloves to
protect yourself and to prevent the wound from getting infected. If the wound is not
bleeding heavily, clean the wound with soap and water, and hold it under running water for
several minutes. Do not apply an antiseptic or anything else to the wound. Dry the wound
and cover it with sterile gauze or a clean cloth. Phone your doctor if the bite or scratch
broke or punctured the skin. A child who is bitten by an animal may need antibiotics, a
tetanus booster, or rarely, a series of rabies shots. A bite or scratch on a child's hand or foot

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is particularly prone to infection and should be evaluated by your doctor as soon as possible. If your child was bitten or scratched by an unfamiliar or wild animal, note the location of the animal. Some animals may have to be captured, confined, and observed for rabies. But do not try to capture the animal yourself. Look in your phone book for the number of an animal control office or animal warden in your area.

Seek immediate medical care if:

o   the wound won't stop bleeding after 10 minutes of direct pressure
o   the wound appears to be deep, or is associated with severe injuries
o   the attacking animal was stray or wild or behaving strangely

o   the bite or scratch becomes red, hot, swollen, or increasingly painful

If you own a pet, make sure it's properly immunized and licensed.

A broken (fractured) bone requires emergency care. Suspect a possible broken bone if your
child heard or felt a bone snaps, if your child has difficulty moving the injured part, or if the
injured part moves in an unnatural way or is very painful to the touch.
A sprain occurs when the ligaments, which hold bones together, are overstretched and
partially torn. Simply overstretching any part of the musculature is called a strain. Sprains
and strains generally cause swelling and pain, and there may be bruises around the injured
area. Most sprains, after proper medical evaluation, can be treated at home.

What to Do:

For a Suspected Broken Bone:

If the injury involves your child's neck or back, do not move him unless the child is in imminent danger. Movement can cause serious nerve damage. If your child must be moved, the neck and back must be completely immobilized first. Keeping your child's head, neck, and back in alignment, moves the child as a unit.

If your child has an open break (bone protrudes through the skin) and there is severe bleeding, apply pressure on the bleeding area with a gauze pad or a clean piece of clothing or other material. Do not wash the wound or try to push back any part of the bone that may be sticking out.

If your child must be moved, apply splints around the injured limb to prevent further injury. Leave the limb in the position you find it. The splints should be applied in that position. Splints can be made by using boards, brooms, a stack of newspapers, cardboard, or anything firm, and can be padded with pillows, shirts, towels, or anything soft. Splints must be long enough to extend beyond the joints above and below the fracture.

Place cold packs or a bag of ice wrapped in cloth on the injured area. Keep your child lying down until medical help arrives.

For a Suspected Sprain or Strain:

If the injury involves your child's neck or back, do not move him unless the child is in
imminent danger. Movement can cause serious nerve damage. If your child must be moved,

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the neck and back must be completely immobilized first. Keeping the head, neck, and back in alignment, moves your child as a unit.

It may be difficult to tell the difference between a sprain and a break. If there is any doubt whatsoever, phone your doctor or take your child to the nearest hospital emergency department. An X-ray can determine whether a bone is broken.

First aid for sprains and strains includes rest, ice, compression, and elevation (known as RICE).

o   Rest the injured part of the body.

o   Apply ice packs or cold compresses for up to 10 or 15 minutes at a
      time every few hours for the first 2 days to prevent swelling.
o   Wearing an elastic compression bandage (such as an ACE bandage) for
      at least 2 days will reduce swelling.

o   Keep the injured part elevated above the level of the heart as much as
      possible to reduce swelling.

Do not apply heat in any form for at least 24 hours. Heat increases swelling and pain.

Your doctor may recommend an over-the-counter pain reliever such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

BUG BITES AND STINGS

Bug  bites  and  stings  usually  are  just  nuisances.  They  bring  momentary  alarm,
temporary discomfort and pain, but no serious or lasting health problems. But on occasion,
they can cause infections that require treatment and allergic reactions that can be serious,
even fatal.

Parents should know the signs of an infection or allergic reaction, and when to get medical attention. Inform all caregivers if a child has any history of complications so they know what to do in the event of a bug bite or sting.

What to Do About:

Bee and Wasp Stings

A bee will leave behind a stinger attached to a venom sac. Try to remove it as quickly as possible. (Wasps don't leave their stingers in the skin after stinging, which means they can sting more than once.)

Wash the area carefully with soap and water. Do this two to three times a day until the skin is healed.

Apply an ice pack wrapped in a cloth or a cold, wet washcloth for a few minutes. Give acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain.

For pain and itching, give an over-the-counter oral antihistamine if your child's doctor says it's OK; follow dosage instructions for your child's age and weight. You could also apply a corticosteroid cream or calamine lotion to the sting area.

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A sting anywhere in the mouth warrants immediate medical attention because stings in oral mucous membranes can quickly cause severe swelling that may block airways. Seek medical care if you notice a large skin rash or swelling around the sting site, or if swelling or pain persists for more than 3 days, which could indicate an infection. Get medical help right away if you notice any of the following signs, which may indicate a serious or potentially life-threatening allergic reaction:

o   wheezing or difficulty breathing

o   tightness in throat or chest

o   swelling of the lips, tongue, or face o   dizziness or fainting

o   nausea or vomiting
Spider Bites

Wash the area carefully with soap and water. Do this two to three times a day until skin is healed.

Apply cool compresses.

Give acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain.

To protect against infection, apply an antibiotic ointment and keep the child's hands washed. If you have any reason to suspect a bite by a black widow or brown recluse spider, apply ice to the bite site and take your child to the emergency room. Even if a child doesn't show any symptoms, get medical attention right away.

Most spiders found in the United States are harmless, with the exception of the black widow and the brown recluse spider. The brown recluse spider — a tiny oval brown spider with a small shape like a violin on its back — is found mostly in Midwestern and southern parts of the United States. The bites usually don't hurt at first, and a child might not even be aware of the bite, but in some cases they cause swelling and changes in skin color and a blister.

The black widow spider, which is found all over North America, has a shiny black
body and an orange hourglass shape on its underbelly. The venom (poison) in a black widow
bite can cause painful cramps that show up within a few hours of the bite. The cramps can
start in the muscles around the bite and then spread. The bite may also lead to nausea,
vomiting, chills, fever, and muscle aches. If your child has any of these symptoms — or you
know that he or she has been bitten — go to the emergency room right away.

In the southwest United States, an unidentified bite may be caused by a scorpion. Take your child to the emergency room immediately.

Tick Bites

Check kids and pets for ticks carefully after you've been in or around a wooded area. Common types of ticks include dog ticks and deer ticks (deer ticks may be carriers of Lyme disease).

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If you find a tick on your child:

Call your doctor, who may want you to save the tick in a sealed container or ziplocked bag for identification later.

Use tweezers to grasp the tick firmly at its head or mouth, next to the skin.

Pull firmly and steadily on the tick until it lets go (do not twist or jerk the tick), then swab the bite site with alcohol.

Don't use petroleum jelly or a lit match to kill and remove a tick. These methods don't get the tick off your skin, and they may just cause the insect to burrow deeper and release more saliva (which increases the chances of disease transmission).

BURNS

From kids washing up under a too-hot faucet to an accidental tipping of a coffee cup, burns are a potential hazard in every home. In fact, burns, especially scalds from hot water and liquids, are some of the most common childhood accidents.

Babies and young children are especially susceptible — they're curious, small, and have sensitive skin that needs extra protection.

Although some minor burns aren't cause for concern and can be safely treated at home, other more serious burns require medical care. But taking some simple precautions to make your home safer can prevent many burns.

Common Causes

The first step in helping to prevent kids from being burned is to understand these common causes of burns:

Scalds, the No. 1 culprit (from steam, hot bath water, tipped-over coffee cups, hot foods, cooking fluids, etc.)

Contact with flames or hot objects (from the stove, fireplace, curling iron, etc.)

chemical burns  (from swallowing things, like drain cleaner or watch batteries, or spilling chemicals, such as bleach, onto the skin)

Electrical burns  (from  biting on electrical cords or sticking fingers or objects in electrical outlets, etc.)

overexposure to the sun

Types of Burns

Burns are often categorized as first-, second-, or third-degree, depending on how badly the skin is damaged. Each of the injuries above can cause any of these three types of burns. But both the type of burn and its cause will determine how the burn is treated.
All burns should be treated quickly to reduce the temperature of the burned area and reduce damage to the skin and underlying tissue (if the burn is severe).

First-Degree Burns

First-degree burns, the mildest of the three, are limited to the top layer of skin:

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Signs and symptoms: These burns produce redness, pain, and minor swelling. The skin is dry without blisters.

Healing time: Healing time is about 3 to 6 days; the superficial skin layer over the burn may peel off in 1 or 2 days.

Second-Degree Burns

Second-degree burns are more serious and involve the skin layers beneath the top layer:

Signs and symptoms: These burns produce blisters, severe pain, and redness. The blisters sometimes break open and the area is wet looking with a bright pink to cherry red color.

Healing time: Healing time varies depending on the severity of the burn. It can take up to 3 weeks or more.

Third-Degree Burns

Third-degree burns are the most serious type of burn and involve all the layers of the skin and underlying tissue:

Signs and symptoms: The surface appears dry and can look waxy white, leathery, brown, or charred. There may be little or no pain or the area may feel numb at first because of nerve damage.

Healing time: Healing time depends on the severity of the burn. Deep second- and third-degree burns (called full-thickness burns) will likely need to be treated with skin  grafts, in  which  healthy  skin  is  taken  from  another part  of  the  body  and surgically placed over the burn wound to help the area heal.

What to Do

Seek Medical Help Immediately When:

You think your child has a second- or third-degree burn.

The burned area is large (2-3 inches in diameter), even if it seems like a minor burn. For any burn that appears to cover more than 10% of the body, call for medical assistance. And don't use wet compresses or ice because they can cause the child's body temperature to drop. Instead, cover the area with a clean, soft cloth or towel. The burn comes from a fire, an electrical wire or socket, or chemicals.
The burn is on the face, scalp, hands, joint surfaces, or genitals.

The burn looks infected (with swelling, pus, increasing redness, or red streaking of the skin near the wound).

For First-Degree Burns:

Remove the child from the heat source.

Remove clothing from the burned area immediately.

Run cool (not cold) water over the burned area (if water isn't available, any cold,
drinkable  fluid  can  be  used)  or  hold  a  clean,  cold  compress  on  the  burn  for

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approximately 3-5 minutes (do not use ice, as it may cause more destruction to the injured skin).

Do not apply butter, grease, powder, or any other remedies to the burn, as these can make the burn deeper and increase the risk of infection.

Apply aloe gel or cream to the affected area. This may be done a few times during the day.

Give your child acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain. Refer to the dosing guidelines on the label according to your child's age or weight.

If the area affected is small (the size of a quarter or smaller), keep it clean. You can protect it with a sterile gauze pad or bandage for the next 24 hours (but do not use adhesive bandages on very young kids, as these can be a choking hazard).

For Second- and Third-Degree Burns:

Seek  emergency  medical  care,  then  follow  these  steps  until  medical  personnel arrive:

o   Keeps your child lying down with the burned area elevated. o   Follow the instructions for first-degree burns.

o   Remove all jewelry and clothing from around the burn (in case there's any
      swelling after the injury), except for clothing that's stuck to the skin. If you're
      having difficulty removing clothing, you may need to cut it off or wait until
      medical assistance arrives.

o   Do not break any blisters.

o   Apply cool water over the area for at least 3-5 minutes, and then cover the
      area with a clean dry cloth or sheet until help arrives.

What to Do

For Flame Burns:

Extinguish the flames by having your child roll on the ground. Cover him or her with a blanket or jacket.

Remove smoldering clothing and any jewelry around the burned area.

Call for medical assistance, and then follow instructions for second- and third-degree burns.

For Electrical and Chemical Burns:

Make sure the child is not in contact with the electrical source before touching him or her, or you also may get shocked.

For chemical burns, flush the area with lots of running water for 5 minutes or more. If the burned area is large, use a tub, shower, buckets of water, or a garden hose.
Do not remove any of your child's clothing before you've begun flushing the burn with water. As you continue flushing the burn, you can then remove clothing from the burned area.

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If the burned area from a chemical is small, flush for another 10-20 minutes, apply a sterile gauze pad or bandage, and call your doctor.

Chemical burns to the mouth or eyes require immediate medical evaluation after thorough flushing with water.

Although both chemical and electrical burns might not always be visible, they can be
serious because of potential damage to internal organs. Symptoms may vary, depending on
the type and severity of the burn and what caused it and may include abdominal pain.

If you think your child may have swallowed a chemical substance or an object that could be harmful  (for instance, a watch battery), first call poison control and then the emergency department.

Preventing Burns

You can't keep kids free from injuries all the time, but these simple precautions can reduce the chances of burns in your home:

In General

Keep matches, lighters, chemicals, and lit candles out of kids' reach. Put child-safety covers on all electrical outlets.

Get rid of equipment and appliances with old or frayed cords and extension cords that look damaged.

If you need to use a humidifier or vaporizer, use a cool-mist model rather than a hotsteam one.

Choose sleepwear that's labeled flame retardant (either polyester or treated cotton). Cotton sweatshirts or pants that aren't labeled as sleepwear generally aren't flame retardant.

Make sure older kids and teens are especially careful when using irons, flat irons, or curling irons.

Prevent house fires by making sure you have a smoke alarm on every level of your
home and in each bedroom. Check these monthly and change the batteries twice a
year.

Replace smoke alarms that are 10 years or older.

Don't smoke inside, especially when you're tired, taking medications that can make you drowsy, or in bed.

Don't use fireworks or sparklers.

Bathroom

Set the thermostat on your hot water heater to  120°F  (49°C), or use the "lowmedium setting." A child can be scalded in 5 seconds in water if the temperature is 140°F (60°C). If you're unable to control the water temperature (if you live in an apartment, for example), install an anti-scald device, which is relatively inexpensive and can be installed you or by a plumber.

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Always test bath water with your elbow before putting your child in it.

Always turn the cold water on first and turn it off last when running water in the bathtub or sink.

Turn kids away from the faucet or fixtures so they're less likely to play with them and turn on the hot water.

Preventing Burns (continued)
Kitchen/Dining Room

Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove every time you cook. Block access to the stove as much as possible.

Never let a child use a walker in the kitchen (the American Academy of Pediatrics strongly discourages the use of walkers overall).

Avoid  using  tablecloths  or  large  placemats.  Youngsters  can  pull  on  them  and overturn a hot drink or plate of food.

Keep hot drinks and foods out of reach of children.

Never drink hot beverages or soup with a child sitting on your lap or carry hot liquids or dishes around kids. If you have to walk with hot liquid in the kitchen (like a pot of soup or cup of coffee), make sure you know where kids are so you don't trip over them.

Never hold a baby or small child while cooking.

Never warm baby bottles in the microwave oven. The liquid may heat unevenly, resulting in pockets of breast milk or formula that can scald a baby's mouth.
Screen fireplaces and wood-burning stoves. Radiators and electric baseboard heaters may need to be screened as well.

Teach kids never to put anything into the fireplace when it is lit. Also make sure they know the glass doors to the fireplace can be very hot and cause a burn.

Outside/In the Car

Use playground equipment with caution. If it's very hot outside, use the equipment only in the morning, when it's had a chance to cool down during the night.
            Remove your child's safety seat or stroller from the hot sun when not in use because
kids can get burns from hot vinyl and metal. If you must leave your car seat or stroller in the sun, cover it with a blanket or towel.

Before leaving your parked car on a hot day, hide the seatbelts metal latch plates in the seats to prevent the sun from hitting them directly.

Don't forget to apply sunscreen when going outside. Use a product with the SPF of 15 or higher. Apply sunscreen 20-30 minutes before going out and reapply every 2 hours or more often if in water. Do not use sunscreen on infants under 6 months of age — they should be kept out of the sun.

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CPR

Every parent should know how and when to administer CPR. When performed
correctly, CPR can save a child's life by restoring blood flow to the heart, brain, and other
organs and restoring breathing until advanced life support can be given by health care
providers.

About CPR

CPR (or cardiopulmonary resuscitation) is a combination of chest compressions and rescue  breathing  (mouth-to-mouth  resuscitation).  If  someone  isn't  circulating  blood  or breathing adequately, CPR can restore circulation of oxygen-rich blood to the brain. Without oxygen, permanent brain damage or death can occur in less than 8 minutes.

CPR might be necessary in many different emergencies, including accidents, neardrowning, suffocation, poisoning, smoke inhalation, electrocution injuries, and suspected sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Reading about CPR and learning when it's needed will give you a basic understanding of the concept and procedure, but it's strongly recommended that you learn the details of how to perform CPR by taking a course. If CPR is needed, using the correct technique will give someone the best chance of survival.

CPR is most successful when started as quickly as possible, but  you must first determine if it's necessary. It should only be performed when a person isn't breathing or circulating blood adequately.

First, determine that it's safe to approach the person in trouble. For instance, if someone was injured in an accident on a busy highway, you'd have to be extremely careful about ongoing traffic as you try to help. Or if someone touched an exposed wire and was electrocuted, you'd have to be certain that he or she is no longer in contact with electricity before offering assistance to prevent becoming electrocuted yourself. (For instance, turn off the source of electricity, such as a light switch or a circuit breaker.)

Once you know that you can safely approach someone who needs help, quickly
evaluate whether the person is responsive. Look for things such as eye opening, sounds
from the mouth, chest movement, or other signs of life such as movement of the arms and
legs.

In  infants  and  younger kids,  rubbing  the  chest  (over the breastbone)  can  help determine if there is any level of responsiveness. In older kids and adults, this also can be done by gently tapping the shoulders and asking if they're all right.

Whenever CPR  is  needed, remember to call for emergency  medical assistance. Current CPR courses teach you that if you are alone with an unresponsive infant or child, you should perform CPR for about 2 minutes before calling for help.

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Three Parts of CPR

The three basic parts of CPR are easily remembered as "CAB": C for compressions, A for airway, and B for breathing.

1.   C is for compressions. Chest compressions can sometimes restore the flow of blood
      to the heart, brain, and other organs. CPR begins with  30 chest compressions,
      followed by two rescue breaths. This cycle is immediately repeated and continued
      until the child recovers or help arrives. It is not necessary to check for signs of
      circulation to perform this technique.

According  the  American  Heart  Association   (AHA),  rescuers  doing  compressions

should "push hard, fast, and in the center of the chest." A CPR course will teach you how  to  perform  chest  compressions  in  infants,  kids,  and  adults,  and  how  to coordinate the compressions with rescue breathing.

2.   A is for airway. After 30 compressions have been completed, the victim's airway
      must be open for breathing to be restored. The airway may be blocked by the
      tongue when someone loses consciousness or may be obstructed by food or another
      foreign object.

In a CPR course, participants learn how to open the airway and position the person
so the airway is ready for rescue breathing. The course will include what to do to
clear the airway if you believe an infant or child has choked and the airway is
blocked.

3.   B is for breathing. Rescue breathing is begun after  30 compressions have been
      completed and the airway is open. Someone performing rescue breathing essentially
      breathes  for  the  victim  by  forcing  air  into  the  lungs.  This  procedure  includes
      breathing into the victim's mouth at correct intervals and checking for signs of life.
      A CPR course will review correct techniques and procedures for rescuers to position
      themselves to give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to infants, kids, and adults.

Taking a CPR Course

Nearby hospitals and your local chapters of the AHA and the American Red Cross are good resources for finding a CPR course in your area.

Qualified  instructors  may  use  videos, printed  materials, and  demonstrations  on mannequins  representing  infants,  kids,  and  adults  to  teach  proper  techniques  for performing CPR.

The AHA offers many levels of CPR courses. A basic course that includes CPR lasts about 2 to 3 hours and takes place within one session. It covers adult, child, and infant CPR and choking. Participants practice the techniques on mannequins and can ask questions and get individualized instruction. Because CPR is a skill that must be practiced, it's wise to repeat the course at least every 2 years to maintain your skills. Doing so also allows you to learn about any new advances or discoveries in CPR techniques.

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CHOKING

When a child is choking, it means that an object — usually food or a toy — is lodged
in the trachea (the airway) and is keeping air from flowing normally into or out of the lungs,
so the child isn't able to breathe properly. The trachea is usually protected by a small flap of
cartilage called the epiglottis. The trachea and the esophagus share an opening at the back
of the throat, and the epiglottis acts like a lid, snapping shut over the trachea each time a
person swallows. It allows food to pass down the esophagus and prevents it from going
down the trachea.

But every once in a while, the epiglottis doesn't close fast enough and an object can
slip into the trachea. This is what happens when something goes "down the wrong pipe."
Most of the time, the food or object only partially blocks the trachea and it's likely that it
will be coughed up and that breathing will be restored easily. A child who seems to be
choking and coughing but is still able to breathe and talk probably will recover unassisted. It
can be uncomfortable and upsetting, but the child is generally fine after a few seconds.

Choking Can Be an Emergency

Sometimes, an object can get into the trachea and completely block the airway. If airflow into and out of the lungs is blocked, and the brain is deprived of oxygen, choking can become a life-threatening emergency.

A child may be choking and need help right away if he or she:
         is unable to breathe

   is gasping or wheezing

   is unable to talk, cry, or make noise
   turns blue

   grabs at his or her throat or waves arms    appears panicked

   becomes limp or unconscious

In those cases, immediately start abdominal thrusts (also known as the Heimlich maneuver), the standard rescue procedure for choking, if you've been trained to do it properly.

Abdominal Thrusts (The Heimlich maneuver)

If you have kids, it's important to get trained in both cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the technique of abdominal thrusts. Even if you don't have kids, knowing how to perform these first-aid procedures will let you help if you're ever in a situation where someone is choking.

The idea of the abdominal thrusts is that a sudden burst of air forced upward through the trachea from the diaphragm will dislodge a foreign object and send it flying up into (or even out of) the mouth.

Though the technique of abdominal thrusts is pretty simple, it must be performed with
caution, especially on young children. It's safest when done by someone trained to perform

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it. If it's done the wrong way, the choking person — especially a baby or child — could be hurt. There's a special version of abdominal thrusts just for infants that is designed to lower the risk of injury to their small bodies.

The technique of abdominal thrusts and CPR are usually taught as part of basic firstaid courses, which are offered by YMCAs, hospitals, and local chapters of the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Red Cross.

What to Do

Here are several possible scenarios you might face and tips on how to handle them:

If a child is choking and coughing but can breathe and talk and the airway is not
completely blocked, it's best to do nothing but watch the child carefully and make
sure he or she recovers completely. The child will likely be fine after a good coughing
spell. Don't reach into the mouth to grab the object or even pat the child on the
back. Either of these steps could push the object farther down the airway and make
the situation worse. Stay with the child and remain calm until the episode passes.

If a child is conscious but can't breathe, talk, or make noise, or is turning blue, the situation calls for abdominal thrusts. Begin to relieve choking if you've been trained to do so.

When to Call the Doctor or Go to the ER

Take your child for emergency medical care after any major choking episode. Also seek emergency medical care for a child if:

there is a persistent cough, drooling, gagging, wheezing, difficulty swallowing, or difficulty breathing

the child turned blue, became limp, or was unconscious during the episode, even if he or she seemed to recover

you think the child has swallowed a foreign object like a toy or battery

If your child had an episode that seemed like choking but fully recovered after a coughing spell, there is no need to seek immediate medical care but you should call your doctor.

Preventing Choking

All kids are at risk for choking, but those younger than 3 are especially vulnerable. Young children tend to put things in their mouths, have smaller airways that are easily blocked, and don't have a lot of experience chewing and often swallow things whole.
You can help minimize the risks of choking:

Avoid foods that pose choking risks because they're the same size and shape as a
child's airway, including hot dogs, grapes, raw carrots, nuts, raisins, hard or gummy
candy, and spoonfuls of peanut butter, chunks of meat or cheese, and popcorn.
At mealtime, be sure to serve a child's food in small, manageable bites. That means
cutting whole grapes into quarters, cutting hot dogs lengthwise and into pieces (and
remove the tough skin), and cooking vegetables rather than serving them raw. Teach

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kids to sit down for all meals and snacks and not to talk or laugh with food in their mouths.

Toys  and  household  items  also  pose  a  choking  hazard  —  beware  of  deflated balloons, coins, beads, small toy parts, and batteries. Before young kids become mobile, get down on the floor often to check for objects that they could put in their mouths  and  choke  on.  You'd  be  surprised  by  the  things  that  routinely  fall  off counters or out of pockets and end up under furniture, behind curtains, etc.
Similarly,  be  sure  to  choose  safe,  age-appropriate  toys.  Always  follow  the manufacturer's age recommendations — some toys have small parts that can cause choking, so carefully inspect a toy's packaging.

Large number of Pupils:

Health service to school children is important because they form a suitable portion of the population in any country In India children, between the age group to 5 to 14 forms one fourth of the total population. By virtue of their numbers, they are entitled to a major share of the community health services. The socio economic development and prosperity of a nation depends upon the proper care and development of its children.

Period of Growth:

During "the school period the children undergo rapid physical, mental and emotional changes. So there is great need of health supervision and I guidance during this period. Early Detection of Diseases:

Children are susceptible to many communicable diseases. The school provides an excellent opportunity for the early detection of defects and departures from the 'normal' which might stand on the way of attaining full health and ability in later life.

Group Living:

Outside the home, the school is the first place where the children experience group living. The school presents the child with a new social and mental experience. Therefore, it is important that there should be adequate health supervision and guidance during this period. Further, the child is exposed to the hazards of infection in a mixed community. Often the child carries infection to his home from the school and in turn subjects the community in which he lives to the risks and dangers of communicable diseases. School health service aims at minimizing these dangers,

Controlled Population:

School children are a controlled population" i.e. they belong to a certain age group and  they  are  easily  reached  that  is  why,  it  is  easy  to  implement  and  assess  health programmes among them.

Educational Opportunities:

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The school is the best forum for imparting health education to children It is in the school that the health of children can best be improved and that the practices and attitudes can be moulded and guided by the educational process.

History

The earliest documentation of blood transfusion is found in the religious text of many civilizations. The first documented demonstration of blood transfusion was between two dogs by Richard Lower in 1665. Landsteiner discovered the ABO Blood Group system in 1901, which is one of the most important landmark discoveries in the Transfusion Medicine. In the 1970s voluntary donors were accepted as blood donors. These donors were later on found to people having high-risk activities and the recipients were found to be suffering from liver diseases. This lead to another discovery of Hepatitis B transmitted by donated blood. Since then testing for the hepatitis B antigen was implemented and this together with cessation of paid donors reduced the incidence of post transfusion hepatitis. Further studies also made us to include tests for Malaria, Syphilis, AIDS, and Hepatitis C to make the donated blood as safe as possible to the recipient.

Blood is vital to human life. It carries essential nourishment to all the tissues and
organs of the body. Timely access to safe blood transfusion is a life-saving measure in many
clinical conditions and can also prevent serious illness in patients suffering from violence
and injury, road traffic accidents, child birth related complications and other conditions.
Hence, blood  transfusion  services  occupy  a  vital space  in  any  National Health  Service
delivery system.

Safe blood saves lives - but, for too many patients around the world whose survival depends on blood transfusion, blood transfusion is either not available or not safe. Every second of every day, people around the world - of all ages and from all walks of life - need blood  transfusions  to  survive.  Safe  blood  is  blood  that  does  not  contain  any  viruses, parasites, drugs, alcohol, chemical substances, or other extraneous factors that might cause harm, danger or disease to the recipient.

It is mandatory to test all the donated blood units for the presence of any of the TTIs. If a blood unit is found positive for any of the TTIs then the blood is considered unsafe for transfusion and discarded. In Voluntary Blood Donation the donors donate their blood voluntarily and for altruistic reasons and never know who the recipients are.

Voluntary Blood Donors are considered as the safest source of blood as they have
low prevalence of TTIs (Transfusion Transmissible Infections) like HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis
C, Malaria and Syphilis while the family/replacement donors carry higher prevalence of TTIs.

The world over 88 million units of blood from all sources are collected annually. The
quantity is sufficient to fill 32 modern Olympic Swimming Pools but not enough for the
6,910 million world population which requires  150 million units annually. Everything is
increasing and the need for safe blood is also increasing. 57 of the 193 WHO member states

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are able to meet their annual requirement of blood from voluntary blood donors' source including Zimbabwe.

Some countries having high levels of voluntary blood donors per 1,000 population figures  are  Switzerland  -113/1,000, Japan  -70/1,000 while  for India it  is  4/1,000.  It  is generally  recommended  that  the  equivalent  of  1-3%  of  a  country's  population  should donate blood to meet a country's blood needs.

Against an annual requirement of 8 million units of blood, India is able to collect only

5.6 million units of which 3 million units (56%) are from voluntary blood donors while the remaining 2.6 million units (44%) from family/replacement donors. Manipur is still lagging behind in regard to Voluntary Blood Donation.

The national level of voluntary blood donation is 56% with States like Tripura, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra having more than 85% of voluntary blood donation. It has been estimated that of all the blood units collected in the State only  10% is from voluntary blood donors. Rest all comes from family/replacement blood donations.

Tripura,  a  small  North  Eastern  State  has  the  highest  level  of  voluntary  blood donation in the country with 93% while our State of Manipur with just 10% voluntary blood donation is the lowest in the country. In other words people of Manipur have the highest level of risk of contracting TTIs while Tripura has the lowest level of risk.

Probably we still lack well trained good motivators. Unawareness/ignorance of the general  public  about  voluntary  blood  donation  and  to  some  extent  their  fear  and misconceptions regarding blood donation are other contributory factors. Again the Blood Transfusion Services in the State are mainly hospital based and are at different levels of management system.

To add to this, not many voluntary organizations devote their precious time and resources for motivating people for voluntary blood donation and hosting blood drives. HIVendemic, conflict  situation,  resource-poor setting  of  the  few  Donor Organizations  also
present numerous challenges, especially in the recruitment of non-remunerated voluntary
blood donors.

Association of Voluntary Blood Donors, Manipur (AVBD-Manipur)born out of a desire to promote voluntary blood donation and positive lifestyle behavior as part of an integrated HIV/AIDS prevention and control strategy in Manipur has been organizing Youth Donor Recruitment Program.

The main components of the Donor Recruitment Program are (i) to create awareness among students/youths regarding blood donation, (ii) to sensitize principals and teachers of colleges/educational institutes/local clubs/NGOs regarding voluntary blood donation, (iii) to motivate the students/youths for blood donation, (iv) to form a network of peer motivators from various colleges/educational institutes/local clubs/NGOs, (v) to try and evaluate the effectiveness of various strategies for donor motivation.

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The main focus areas of AVBD, Manipur's Blood Program are:

- Healthy individuals to become regular voluntary blood donors

- Existing voluntary blood donors to continue to donate regularly

- Converting family replacement donors to voluntary blood donors by strengthening
the blood donor education, recruitment and retention programs
            In spite of the rapid and remarkable advancements in medical science today, no
factory can manufacture blood. It is only in human beings that human blood is made and
circulated. Hence, donation - rather voluntary donation is the only way of accumulating
blood at safe storage to meet emergency requirements for saving lives.
            This is the greatest gift one can do for the mankind. Voluntary Blood Donors are
saviors of mankind. If someone really loves oneself and other fellow beings, the only way to
express it is to donate blood voluntarily. Donating blood means giving life to someone and it
is believed that voluntary blood donors command the highest respect for their sacrifice.
            Today is October 1 and National Voluntary Blood Donation Day which is celebrated
all over the country to create awareness on safe blood, which is possible only by regular
voluntary  blood  donation.  The  significance  of  observance  of  a  day  like  the  National
Voluntary Blood Donation day has become more important in a place our State which is
ravaged by HIV/AIDS epidemic.

By  motivating  the  young  people  and  other  potential  donors  to  donate  blood voluntarily on regular basis we will be achieving

(i) a safe and sustainable supply of blood and blood products,

(ii) HIV & other TTI free young population This message has to be conveyed to a large number of people so that voluntary blood donation could become a mass movement. People must understand the importance of voluntary blood donation and come forward voluntarily to donate blood.

What is Eye donation? Why is it important? There are hundreds of thousands of
visually handicapped people in our country. It is estimated that out of this about 10 lakh
people can regain vision with appropriate treatment. Surgery can restore vision to those
who have become blind due to cataract or those whose cornea has been affected. The
damaged whitish cornea should be replaced by a crystal like healthy cornea which has been
donated by a healthy person. So eye-donation should be encouraged in a large scale, as one
of the best means of social service. To enable another person obtain vision is one of the best
forms of charity. Even after death the donor lives in the eyes of recipient. Eyes from a dead
person can enable two blind people to acquire vision. When should the eye-surgeon or eye
bank be informed to donate the eyes? The eyes of a dead person can be used only if they
are taken out within 6 hrs of death. When a person who has given consent for the donation
of one’s eyes dies, the eye should be kept wet by sprinkling water on them. Otherwise

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pieces of cotton wool soaked in water should be placed on both the eyes so that the cornea does not become dry till the eye-surgeon arrives. After the removal of the eyes the eyelids will be stitched together and there will be no visible sign of the eyes having been removed. The entire process is completed within 10-15 minutes.

Personal hygiene refers to practices that lead to cleanliness and health preservation.
Examples of personal hygiene practices include hair cutting, shaving, brushing teeth, bathing
daily, nail clipping, etc.  Personal hygiene is also referring to good personal appearance.

Hygiene encourages personal health:

Everyone automatically has personal hygiene. Some people do it better than others.
The idea is to keep your body hair and teeth clean, and use things like deodorants scents
and mouthwash appropriately so that you do not stand out because of bad odors coming
from your body or clothing. Keep your clothing clean and maintained appropriately. All of
the above should be in accordance with your cultural, social and familial norms. The idea is
to NOT stand out because of a lack of care for your body, clothing or other items that are
typically close to you. While personal hygiene is very important, it is also important that you
do not engage in these behaviors excessively; that can be as much of a problem as a lack of
hygiene.

Following are some points which should be inculcated in day-to-day life.

The best way to keep the body clean and free of infection is to wash on a daily basis. This means taking a shower or a bath and using soap and hot water to wash away the bacteria that build up over the course of the day. This also means washing one's hands several times a day. Since the hands touch many foreign objects as well as many familiar objects (like one's nose, mouth, and eyes), washing hands, especially after going to the bathroom, will prevent harmful bacteria from damaging one's health.

   Wash hands thoroughly with soap after using the toilet, changing diapers, handling
      pets and before handling food.

   Clean & trim the nails of both hands. Tie your hair before handling the food.

   Kitchen should be well lighted & ventilated (with either chimney/exhaust fan) & with
      meshed windows.

   The cooking and eating area should be preferably elevated.

   Keep the cooking, washing, and utility area and kitchen clothes clean.

   Protect the kitchen & food items from insects, pests & other animals.

   Before spraying insecticides, in the kitchen walls/cupboards, remove all the food
      items. Spraying should be done during night time. Wet mop the cupboards before
      storing again.

   Do not store raw foods (vegetables, dals, cereals, masala, i.e. powdered spices) for
      long periods. "First in first out" (FIFO) practice should be followed by all, and more
      so in regions where the humidity is high.

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     Storage of food items should be in airtight containers/utensils to protect them from

dust, insects, and moisture.

     Separate raw, cooked & ready to eat foods while shopping, preparing or storing

foods.

     De-weed the green leafy vegetables & then wash them, repeatedly in clean water till

they are free from dirt/mud.

     Wash  &  Soak  the  vegetables/fruits  in  water  &  then  scrape.  (Soaking  removes

pesticides, preservatives present on the surface. Vendors polish the Brinjals & apples

with engine oil to give a shinning look, so soak & scrub them thoroughly).

     Cruciferous vegetables should be soaked in boiled water to remove worms.

     Raw Vegetable/Fruits for Salads should be washed thoroughly in running water

before cutting.

     Do not consume cut fruits from the street vendors.

     Clean the dals/cereals- wash them 2-3 times before cooking/soaking.

     Transfer the cooked food into a clean serving utensil before consuming (this is to

prevent the erosive action of salt/turmeric/tamarind/lemon with aluminum, brass

etc.).

     Boil the milk before consumption & keep it in a cool place/refrigerator to prevent

curdling. Do not consume raw milk.

     While buying meat/fish/poultry make sure they are freshly cut.

     Clean fish/ poultry/meat thoroughly before cooking. Cook them thoroughly before

consuming.

     Do not leave food  outside in summer months  for long time. Try & eat freshly

prepared food every day.

     Refrigerate perishable foods promptly, prepared food and left over within 2 hours. If

refrigerator is not available then regulate the amount of food cooked, so that food

doesn't have to be stored.

     Do not store food for too long in the refrigerator/freezer.

     Boil/filter the drinking water before storing it in a clean vessel & cover it. Use a

spoon/glass with a long handle to drink water. Don't insert your hand/fingers in

drinking water. Don't drink directly from bottles containing drinking water which are

shared amongst individuals.

     Do not use packed food beyond its expiry date. Do not consume food in tetra

packs/tins which have leaks or are puffed, even if they are well within the expiry

date.

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