First Dilip Mahalanabis Memorial Oration delivered by Dr. Richard Cash Distinguished Global Health Scientist in Kolkata

Partha Roy, Kolkata: First Dilip Mahalanabis Memorial Oration delivered by iconic Professor Dr. Richard Cash Distinguished Global Health Scientist of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Kolkata on 31st July 2023 organised by Liver Foundation-West Bengal. Professor Dr. Richard Cash spoke on the theme titled “The Development of ORT and Implementation of programs : Taking Science to the people”. Professor Dr. Richard Cash delivered oration lecture in the form of story telling.

Oral rehydration solution (ORS) is made of water, sugar, and electrolytes, specifically potassium and sodium. ORS helps in replenishing the body’s fluid levels. It’s generally used to treat moderate dehydration due to diarrhea, vomiting, or other conditions.

Glucose a key ingredient helps the body absorb sodium through the co-transport system. It also helps to energize muscles and remedy fatigue. It facilitate to rehydrate cells. Oral rehydration does not stop diarrhea, but keeps the body hydrated and healthy until the diarrhea passes.

One can give ORS at home if one’s child is mildly dehydrated; refusing to eat a normal diet; or has vomiting, diarrhea, or both. ORS does not cure vomiting or diarrhea, but it does help to prevent and treat the dehydration that can develop when the body loses a lot of water and salt. The rationale for inclusion of sodium in oral rehydration solutions is to replace sodium losses and to promote water absorption.

Dr. Dilip Mahalanabis’s oral rehydration solution became the reason that saved thousands of lives during and post 1971 India- Pakistan war. Dr. Dilip Mahalanabis was able to prove ORS reduces death due to dehydration using internationally accepted medical research measurements and methods. Dr. Dhiman Barua’s role in recognising Dr. Dilip Mahalanabis’s treatment plan of severely dehydrated patients using ORS also played important role in acceptance of ORS for treatment of dehydrated patients by WHO.

As per the WHO, cholera is one of the leading causes of death in infants and young children in a myriad of developing countries. In such a disease, dehydration is the main case of deaths. The ORS is the greatest medical discovery of the 20th century, Dr. Dilip Mahalanabis was awarded the Padma Vibushan, India’s second-highest civilian award for his contribution to development of medical science and development of medical protocols those save thousands of lives in challenging situations posthumously.

Dr. Richard A. Cash, Dr. Dilip Mahalanabis and Dr. David R. Nalin were awarded Thailand’s highest civilian award Prince Mahidol award in 2006 for their individual and collective contribution through their various research projects in development of Oral Rehydration Solutions ( ORS ) and Oral Rehydration Therapy( ORT ) which are saving millions of lives from developing to developed countries.

Dr. Richard Cash and his colleagues conducted the first clinical trials of Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT) in adult and pediatric cholera patients and patients with other infectious causes of diarrhea at the Cholera Research Laboratory (now ICDDR,B) in Bangladesh. In 2011, Dr. Cash received the Fries Price for improving health. Dr. Richard Cash as pioneer Global Health Scientist playing important role in saving millions of lives across the planet Earth during various epidemics for over half a century.

Dr. Richard Cash mentioned breastfeeding of the infants can help to save lives of infants who are facing dehydration. Currently, World Breastfeeding Week is being observed from 1-7 August 2023 supported by WHO, UNICEF and many Ministries of Health and civil society partners in every nation. World Breastfeeding Week is held in the first week of August every year.

A documentary film titled “Dr. Dilip Mahalanabis and ORS” made by Professor Probal Chowdhury of Indian Statistical Institute Kolkata was screened. Dilip Mahalanabis Memorial Oration was an initiative of Dr. Abhijit Choudhary and his associates of Liver Foundation-West.