Dehydration: The Silent Killer Stalking the Nation of Ghana Slowly

My brothers and sisters, we have a crisis on our hands that is claiming too many innocent lives each year - the crisis of dehydration. I have seen personally how this preventable situation can turn deadly within hours if left ignored.

 These illnesses induce severe dehydration, which is typically the major reason for their mortality, as documented by the World Health Organization (WHO).This is simply unacceptable given how cheap and available the solutions are, from oral rehydration solutions (ORS) to clean water and education .

Chale, why are we allowing our communities to suffer and die from thirst and lack of knowledge of how to properly hydrate? As Ghanaians we are resilient people, yet something as basic as water can defeat us if we do not demand and take action to stop these useless deaths now. The hot weather is not going anywhere, my people, so we must come together to solve this problem of dehydration before the next dry season arrives.

The human organism is made up of about 60% water. Dehydration can set in mere hours if even a small quantity of this water is lost through perspiration, diarrhea, or vomiting. Symptoms may begin with increased thirst, vertigo, nausea, and fever but rapidly turn life-threatening without intervention. I have seen too many people, especially children and the elderly, arrive at the hospital barely clinging to life after days of unchecked diarrhea depleted their bodies of fluids. Access to ORS and clean water could have prevented the emergency and saved a life.

So I am here today to shout at the top of my lungs: "My Ghanaian brothers and sisters, keep hydrated! Drink plenty of pure water even when you do not feel thirsty Prepare ORS in advance by putting 8 teaspoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt in a liter of clean water Have your children drink ORS at the first sign of diarrhea to avoid a hospital trip. Check on elderly neighbors and relatives regularly to ensure they are staying hydrated in our hot climate .

To our political leaders and policymakers, I say do your jobs and make public health a priority now! Fund education campaigns about dehydration, especially in rural areas. Make ORS and clean water more accessible. Add hydration and sanitation education to our school curricula so the next generation does not continue dying senselessly from lack of knowledge. You must do better to save Ghanaian lives!

As a concerned citizen, I made an oath to first do no harm and save lives whenever feasible. But this is not merely a duty for physicians and nurses. All Ghanaians must stand up and say "no more!" to deaths from dehydration. We must join hands as communities to promote awareness, exchange information and resources, and hold our leadership responsible. The solutions are simple, but action is required. It depends on our lives and those of our offspring.

Will you assist me in this campaign and demand an end to water-related fatalities in Ghana? Will you commit to keeping yourself and your community hydrated and healthy? Together, we can win this conflict and defeat dehydration once and for all.

But the time for action is now: grab that glass of water, make some ORS, and spread the word! Our lives depend on it, and Ghana depends on it. May God continue to bless our homeland!

Thank you friends. I wish you good health and hydration!

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