Cholera is a killer

A GNA feature by Nana Kodjo Jehu-Appiah
Accra, Aug. 19, GNA - Abeku was a typical sanguine, who led life the best way he chose to. He was the Gomoa Ada Health Committee Secretary, in the Central Region, who at least had basic knowledge about health issues.

Unfortunately he was caught off guard by cholera and that proved futile on August 13, when he was rushed to Rock Hospital at Odorkor in Accra. By 1330 hours he was pronounced dead and barely three hours later, he was hosted by the Korle bu Teaching Hospital morgue.

Although there was no definite prove of the cause of his death it was a matter of fact that the 50-year-old Assistant Headmaster of Ada Ngleshi D/A Primary School   was dashed to hospital because he was vomiting and having frequent, loose, watery stools.

Even though Abeku is now in the hands of his maker, it is important for people to know the cause of cholera with the focus on diarrhea, which is more deadly.   One could get diarrhea by being in contact with infected persons, or contract it from food poisoning after eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water.

According to medical research such condition occurs suddenly and lasts for no longer than a couple of days and is usually referred to as "acute diarrhoea".

Most people with acute diarrhoea recover.
Diarrhoea that lasts more than two weeks is thought of as "chronic diarrhoea". Typically, chronic diarrhoea requires medical care to find the underlying cause and the treatment of complications, such as dehydration.

Many different problems can cause diarrhea and some of the major reasons are a virus, such as rotavirus, winter vomiting disease (Norwalk virus or norovirus), enterovirus, or a hepatitis virus.

A bacterium, such as E. coli, salmonella, shigella, (clostridium), or cholera (Vibrio cholera and a parasite, such as those that cause giardiasis and amoebiasis.

The length of time diarrhoea lasts often depends on what caused it. Diarrhoea from norovirus lasts around two days, for rotavirus, the duration is three to eight days. Campylobacter and salmonella infections may last two to seven days and diarrhoea from giardiasis can travel several weeks.

A number of non-infectious medical conditions may cause diarrhoea, and these include: inability to digest certain foods, including a lactose intolerance or difficulty digesting the type of sugar found in dairy products); coeliac disease (an intolerance of gluten in wheat and some other grains); and pancreatic problems, such as those caused by cystic fibrosis, which interfere with production of important digestive substances.

The after-effects of surgery to remove the gallbladder leading to an increase in bile in the colon may result in watery stools.

Certain rare tumours (including carcinoid tumour and pheochromocytoma) could also produce diarrhoea-causing substances.

Inflammation in the intestinal tract can also result in chronic diarrhoea. If one suffers from inflammatory bowel disease such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, the patient may have bouts of diarrhoea during flare-ups of the disease.

Pouches of the intestinal wall in diverticular disease can lead to diarrhoea, especially if they become infected and inflamed.

Irritable bowel syndrome may cause alternating bouts of diarrhoea and constipation whilst bowel cancer produces a change in bowel habit that may include diarrhoea or alternating diarrhoea and constipation.

The staggering record says so far 5,000 cholera cases have been recorded in Greater Accra Region alone with 45 fatalities.

These preventable deaths came closer home when he took away Jenastona Abeku Jehu-Appiah and to give the ravaging killer a good fight let's stick to personal hygiene and keep our environment clean.

The doctor says if you are far from home and you are hungry, make sure the food you eat can be peeled or is hot! If not forget it. One should also drink only potable water.  

'A word to the wise is enough,' while I wish all cholera victims damrifa due (rest in peace). GNA EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE