Maharashtra Board Class 5 EVS Part I Chapter 25 Community Health and Hygiene PDF Download

25. Community Health And Hygiene

Read And Discuss

There was havoc as 150 people in the area where Radha lives were suddenly affected by food poisoning. Some of the residents made great efforts to secure emergency medical help immediately. Radha, too, stayed up late that night. She was so stressed that she could not take part in the story-telling competition in her school the next day. She did feel bad about missing the chance but she had the satisfaction of having helped the victims of food poisoning.

What do you think are the reasons for such emergencies?

Do you think that the incident of food poisoning occurred because people were careless about hygiene?

It is necessary to be alert about health and hygiene. Do you agree that the health of the entire community is as important as one's own health?

Community Health

Nutritious food, personal hygiene, exercise and pursuit of hobbies lead to excellent health and good personal development. Just as we take care of our own health, we must make efforts to ensure good health for all. Everyone in our society should be able to live the kind of tension-free and happy life that we wish for ourselves. Good community health and hygiene can be achieved through habits of cleanliness and good health on the part of all individuals in a community.

Pollution, squalor, epidemics of infectious diseases, addiction, insect-borne diseases are all threats to community health. To nurture community health is to protect the general public from such diseases and to make a happy and healthy life possible for all.

Teacher's Note

When a whole village had cholera, everyone helped each other stay clean and safe. Community health means everyone stays healthy together.

Exam Trick

Remember: Community health = everyone's health. Just like in a family, if one person is sick, everyone worries. Same thing with a community!

Points to Remember

Community health means the health of all people together.
Clean water, good food, and clean places keep communities healthy.
When everyone follows hygiene rules, diseases spread less.
One sick person can make many others sick.
We must all work together for a healthy community.

Importance Of Community Health

The people of a country are the most important factor in a country's progress and development. Their health can be protected if they have a clean environment, nutritious food, safe drinking water and good medical facilities. Mass media are used under community welfare programmes to educate people about issues such as taking care of drinking water and food.

People are urged in every possible way to keep their surroundings clean. It is a legal offence to spit in public places. The aim of this ban is to prevent the spread of diseases.

Teacher's Note

In India, the government teaches people to use toilets and not to spit in public. This keeps diseases away from everyone.

Exam Trick

Remember: Spitting = spreading disease. That is why it is a crime to spit in public in India!

Points to Remember

Healthy people help their country grow.
Safe drinking water saves lives.
Clean surroundings stop diseases from spreading.
It is a law that you cannot spit in public.
Good medical help keeps people alive.

What Are The Threats To The Health Of The Community?

There are several threats to community health. An important threat is carelessness regarding hygiene. From the actions given below, mark those that are harmful with a cross and write the explanation in your notebook.

1. Burning old tyres

2. Spitting anywhere on the road

3. Using public toilets

4. Looking after domestic animals

5. Following doctor's instructions in cases of infectious diseases

6. Washing your hands before a meal or snack

7. Throwing the garbage from your house on to the road

Teacher's Note

Burning rubber makes smoke that harms our lungs. Throwing garbage makes our streets dirty and sick animals come around.

Exam Trick

Remember: Bad habits for community health = burning, spitting, throwing garbage. Good habits = using toilets, washing hands, following doctor's orders.

Points to Remember

Dirty surroundings spread sickness to many people.
Spitting is a crime that spreads germs.
Throwing garbage is very bad for the community.
Public toilets help keep areas clean.
Following doctor's orders stops diseases from spreading.

Wholesome Living

If we take care of our health, it is possible for us to lead a wholesome life. Keeping ourselves happy and taking an interest in things, avoiding feelings of hatred and envy and doing what is necessary to maintain physical health helps us to achieve this end. If people of a society live a healthy and wholesome life, social tensions also decrease and feelings of friendship can be nurtured.

Teacher's Note

A happy and healthy person makes their family and community happy too. In India, we say "Swasth Sharir Mein Swasth Mann" which means a healthy body has a healthy mind.

Exam Trick

Remember: Wholesome life = happy mind + healthy body + no hatred. This brings peace to the whole society!

Points to Remember

Wholesome life means both body and mind are healthy.
Happy feelings help us stay healthy.
We should not feel hatred or envy towards others.
A healthy person brings happiness to their family.
Social peace comes from everyone being healthy.

Tobacco Consumption

Names of tobacco products such as gutka, cigarettes, bidis, masheri, mawa, panmasala, etc. are often heard. We also see many people consuming tobacco in different ways. All these are harmful for our health. At first, a person may chew tobacco casually at someone's urging. But this may lead to addiction. The person becomes dependent on tobacco and cannot give up the habit.

When people develop this habit, they become restless if they do not get tobacco. They are not able to pay attention to anything else. They have to have tobacco in the mouth all the time. When the habit reaches this stage, it is called an addiction. People addicted to tobacco spit here and there all the time and make their surroundings dirty.

Ill Effects Of Tobacco Addiction

Ulcers in the mouth.

The ulcers develop into bigger wounds. The person may develop tumours.

A lot of time and money has to be spent on treatment. If the wounds do not heal, the person has serious problems. This can eventually lead to cancer.

Tobacco entering the digestive organs leads to complaints related to them.

On the teeth, smoking tobacco through a chillum, hookah, cigar, pipe or cheroot are all extremely harmful.

Teacher's Note

Many people in India chew gutka and pan. This makes their teeth red and broken and causes mouth cancer. It costs lakhs of rupees to treat.

Exam Trick

Remember: Tobacco = ulcers, wounds, cancer, death. Say NO to tobacco!

Points to Remember

Tobacco causes ulcers and wounds in the mouth.
Tobacco addiction means you cannot live without it.
Tobacco can cause mouth and stomach cancer.
Cancer treatment is very painful and expensive.
Many people die from tobacco-caused cancer.

Alcoholism

Drinking alcohol also has adverse effects on the body. Addiction to alcohol is called alcoholism.

Alcohol makes a person drowsy and confused. One loses control over one's actions.

Alcoholism causes diseases of the liver, intestines and urinary bladder.

Addiction to tobacco or alcohol are both very bad habits. It is best to stay away from these vices. Never be negligent about health.

The condition of the addict becomes pathetic, and the addict's family too has to suffer with them. There is no telling how much money will be required for treatment. Besides, everyone is put to great trouble and a lot of time and efforts are wasted. The family gets deprived of health and happiness and is ruined.

We must be aware that an addict destroys the entire family.

Besides alcohol and tobacco, people also fall prey to some other addictions such as the addiction to drugs like cocaine, brown sugar, etc. These addictions can totally devastate your life.

Teacher's Note

Alcohol damages the liver badly. In India, many families lose all their money and happiness because of one person's drinking habit.

Exam Trick

Remember: Alcohol = no control over body and mind. It ruins the whole family, not just one person!

Points to Remember

Alcohol makes the brain slow and confused.
Alcoholism destroys the liver and kidneys.
An alcoholic loses all control over their actions.
The whole family suffers when one person drinks.
Alcohol addiction costs thousands of rupees in treatment.

Drugs, Tobacco And Alcohol Use – An Invitation To Death

Tobacco, drugs and alcohol produce a state of intoxication. Addiction to any of them eventually kills you. Every person should beware of the ill effects of these addictions and strictly stay away from them. There are people who lure others into smoking, drinking or trying out drugs. On no account should we give in to their pressure.

If a person starts getting addicted to smoking or drinking or taking drugs, the help of counsellors or doctors should be sought immediately to rid the person of the habit.

One should eat regularly and take up sports and other hobbies. One should be firm in avoiding any addiction.

Beware!

Chewing tobacco, smoking cigarettes or bidis, taking snuff, rubbing masheri on the teeth, smoking tobacco through a chillum, hookah, cigar, pipe or cheroot are all extremely harmful.

Teacher's Note

In India, many young people die before age 40 because of smoking and drugs. Their parents are very sad and the whole family breaks.

Exam Trick

Remember: Drugs, tobacco, alcohol = early death. Say NO to bad friends who offer these things!

Points to Remember

These three things are killers and destroyers of life.
Bad friends will try to make you smoke or drink.
You must say NO firmly to these friends.
Doctors and counsellors can help people stop addictions.
Sports and hobbies keep you away from bad habits.

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