Each summer, the city sees a spike in water-borne diseases. However, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has decided to educate and bring in a positive change this summer with ‘one slum at a time.’
The association has announced that it will be adopting a model slum area in Delhi-NCR where a community-RO (reverse osmosis) plant will be placed for a period of six months to study its impact in reduction of water-borne diseases.
IMA national president Dr. A Marthanda Pillai, highlighting the issue of safe drinking water for everyone, noted that there is an urgent need to raise urgent awareness nationally about the prevention of water-borne diseases with a focus on safe water consumption. IMA and a private company — which is in the field of treating drinking water — is partnering under the Association’s ‘Swachh Bharat Swasth Bharat’ campaign for this community programme.
Announcing the initiative here on Tuesday, IMA honorary secretary general Dr. K.K. Aggarwal said: “Article 47 makes it one of the primary duties of the State to provide clean and safe drinking water to its citizens. Yet three lakh children in India die due to diarrheal diseases every year before the age of three, a condition that is completely preventable by the elimination of unsafe drinking water.”
“Through this programme, we aim to reduce number of deaths caused by water-borne diseases through mass awareness drives and educational initiatives,” he noted.
