World ORS Day is observed on July 29 every year to create awareness about the importance of Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) in saving millions of lives.
The main theme of world ORS day 2021 is ‘Oral Rehydration, No More Dehydration’, which reinforces the importance of oral rehydration therapy (ORT) as an effective tool in the battle against dehydration and diarrhea. A simple remedy to fight fatal illnesses, ORS is a well-formulated mixture of essential minerals used to combat the loss of fluids in the body. The combination of electrolytes and sugar stimulates water and electrolyte absorption from the gut. It reverses dehydration and replaces lost salts in conditions such as diarrhoea and vomiting. An inexpensive solution replete with electrolytes, it is given to treat severe dehydration. In the 18th and early 19th centuries, diseases like diarrhea and cholera were huge pandemics, causing many to lose their lives.
ORS contains different types of dry salts and sugar. The combination of electrolytes and sugar enhances water and electrolyte absorption from the stomach, thereby averts or reverses dehydration and replaces lost salts.
Advantages Of ORS
* Easy to use
* Cost-effective
* Home counterparts are available
* Readily available at primary health centers free of cost
* Needs no sterilization
* More physiological