Sunday Times 2
Donated water purifiers protect children from kidney disease
View(s):It’s heartening to see that the problem of kidney diseases in the Raja Rata is taken seriously by at least several individuals who have taken the initiative in forming organisations to take necessary action. Special attention is focused on schoolchildren to prevent the disease spreading among the younger generation.
The seriousness of the problem can be seen from statistics that are being released. It has been mentioned that there are as many as 13 deaths occurring daily from kidney disease. The root cause has been identified as impure water. The hardness that is prevalent in the water in almost all the areas in the Raja Rata, the constant intake of water which also has fluoride, heavy use of agro-chemicals with arsenic are among the main causes of the killer kidney disease.
Responding to an appeal made by the Organisation for Prevention of Kidney Disease in Children led by reputed doctors, 26 water purifies were presented recently by the Dhammadeepa Foundation on the initiative taken by its Patron, the energetic young monk, Ven. Talalle Chandakitti Thera.
Each water purifier costs Rs 144,000. “The response was marvellous. Within a few days we had enough funds to purchase over two dozens of purifiers,” Ven. Chandakitti said. “It just shows how concerned our dayakas are when it comes to a national problem.”
The purifiers are of special quality. In their manufacture the technology known as Reverse Osmosis is used. This technology helps to extract the hardness of the water as well as other heavy metal compounds like cadmium and arsenic.
Addressing the gathering at a simple ceremony to accept the Dhammadeepa Foundation donation, the Organisation’s secretary thanked Ven. Chandakitti and the contributors for the prompt action taken in response to their request. “Our effort is to protect the schoolchildren in the dry zone from this deadly disease. We will provide pure drinking water to them both for drinking while at school and to take home as well”.
He said that several schools in Padaviya, Medawachchiya and Anuradhapura have been selected to distribute the purifiers. These schools have children from Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim communities. Later water purifiers will be distributed in Kebeitigollawa and Horowpotana.
The Organisation has identified the areas where kidney disease is prevalent as Padavi Sri Pura, Tantirimale, Vavuniya in the North Central Province and areas like Dehiattakandiya in the Eastern Province.
-D. C. Ranatunga