Huge lands are flooded by water but there is hardly safe drinking water. Food scarcity, hygiene problem, infectious diseases are common accompaniment of the flood. Children and elderly people are affected worst. During and after flood, diarrhoea, dysentery, cholera, malaria, pneumonia, typhoid, hepatitis, snake bite, food poisoning are very common.

How to handle the flood situation?
First of all, we have to give emphasis on safe drinking water. If tube well is flooded, it is not completely safe. So it must be boiled prior drinking. If boiling is not possible, the water should be purified by tablets.

For diarrhoea and vomiting, oral rehydration saline (ORS) should be started immediately to avoid dehydration and complications, at a rate of 5ml per kg body weight for each vomiting or stool. If the condition deteriorates, transfer the patient to the nearest hospital.

Children may develop pneumonia during flood. Symptoms include increase of body temperature and respiratory rate, chest in drawing, cough. Oral antibiotics should be started immediately after the prescription of a registered physician. If the condition does not improve within two days, transfer the patient to a hospital.

For any insect bite or snake bite, clean the area with soap and water, apply antiseptic if available, give paracetamol and antihistamin and transfer the victim to a hospital immediately, as delay may endanger life.

Safe, secured and hygienic shelter is very essential during flood.

Future plan
Since you can not avoid flood, prepare to handle it intelligently. When flood is apparent, store drinking water for the whole family in clean plastic containers at least for 10 days. Keep some water purifying tablets for emergency purpose.

Keep some candle and matches and store clean, dry food in reasonable amount.

Also store some ORS packets, oral antibiotics, as per advice of a doctor, and paracetamol tablets, antiseptic cream, disinfectant.

For small kids, keep some tins of powder milk, sugar and some tinned biscuits.

We are human beings, we live in a society and we have many things to do in emergency period for the distressed people. So please, come forward to help them as your own brothers and sisters. It may be an opportunity for you.

The writer is an Associate Professor of Department of Paediatrics of Community Based Medical College, Mymensingh. [E- mail: mkarim_khan@yahoo.com]