Know All About World ORS Day 2023

Water content in the body is essential for the proper functioning of vital organs and for maintaining normal health and fitness. The loss of water from the body is called dehydration. It gets serious in the case of infants and children. ORS or Oral Rehydration Salts is a simple mix of sugar, salt, and water. It restores electrolyte balance in the body and is a vital remedy for those who suffer from dehydration, especially infants and children. Electrolyte balance, if not restored timely, then can turn fatal. To mark the importance of ORS to infant health and well-being and to keep dehydration away, ORS is an elixir. In order to spread awareness about the proper balance of electrolytes in our body, World ORS day is celebrated every year.

World ORS Day

World ORS Day is observed each year on July 29 to emphasise the importance of ORS (Oral Rehydration Salts) as an affordable healthcare method to treat dehydration and diarrhoea. Awareness is the first step towards any solution and mitigating any problem. ORS Day aims to build awareness about the importance of ORS so that the information reaches far and wide and no one is deprived of this crucial solution that could save a million lives.

A Few Causes of Dehydration are:

• Continuous vomiting
• Diarrhoea and related diseases
• Children's lack of fluid intake

When is ORS Day Celebrated?

ORS day is celebrated and observed on July 29 every year. In the 1800s and 1900s, cholera and diarrhoea caused the death of many people, and these diseases are not as a cause of worry as they once were. The day is celebrated to remember the victory over these types of illnesses. ORS is a simple remedy that helps to fight fatal diseases.

Importance of World ORS Day

Even though diarrhoea is curable, educating people and creating awareness around ORS is important. According to the WHO (World Health Organisation), diarrhoea-related diseases are the second most common cause of death in below five years old children. In fact, it is India's third most common cause of children's death.

Diarrhoea affects around 1.7 billion children worldwide every year. More than 5.25 lakh children die every year worldwide due to diarrhoea. The seniors and children who die from diarrhoea die because they suffer severe dehydration and loss of fluids. ORS is a cost-effective way to combat dehydration caused by several diseases.

ORS promotion started in the early 21st century by WHO and UNICEF. The Government of India actively tries to promote ORS usage and its benefits.

How Does ORS Help?

ORS replaces the essential and lost fluids with a combination of water and sugar. It helps the gut to absorb electrolytes. It not only prevents dehydration, but also reverses it. ORS works on 90 to 95 percent of patients who have diarrhoea.

Quantity Required by Children

Parents can provide their children with the following quantity of ORS

• 50-100 ml of fluid for children under two years
• 100-200 ml of fluid for children between two and ten years
• Adults and older children can have as much as they want

How are Children Given ORS?

It would be best if you gave children ORS regularly in small quantities. You can use a dropper or a spoon to ensure that the initial doses are small. Small doses are recommended because it helps children to retain it and prevent vomiting. Subsequently, as the recommended dose increases, parents can increase the amount of ORS.

Side Effects of ORS

If you give ORS in the suggested doses, there are no side effects. You need to discard the ORS if it has been kept in the water for over an hour. However, you can keep the ORS refrigerated for up to a day or 24 hours. ORS has excellent health benefits for adults and children alike. It prevents diarrhoea, which causes a lot of discomforts.

How to Prepare ORS?

Find ORS in the form of solutions and sachets commercially. You can prepare the ORS by emptying the sachet into a glass and pouring cooled boiled water or filtered water into it. You must follow the instruction given on the ORS sachet, as not following it can worsen your diarrhoea.

Only use water to prepare the ORS, not juice, milk, tea, or other liquids. You must prepare a fresh drink every time, as a solution stored for more than a day has a bacterial infection risk.

You can prepare your ORS at home this World ORS Day:

• Take a glass of water (200ml)
• Use boiled or filtered water
• Add sugar (5gms) and a little salt
• Stir well

You can use a dropper or a spoon to feed the children, and adults can directly drink it.

Conclusion

ORS is a lifesaver and is a highly affordable medical option to treat dehydration among children and adults. You should use ORS in times of need and create awareness around it.

There are, however, cases when situations can worsen, and you might need to be hospitalised, so it is always advisable to have an health insurance plan or Group health insurance plan. Visit Niva Bupa for more information.