The figures say it all. As many as 206,000 children under the age of five die due to diarrhoea every year. This means that in India, 564 deaths occur every day and 23 deaths every hour due to diarrhoeal infection.
“Dehydration is the main cause of death in almost all cases and only timely treatment can prevent this. Four simple steps can prevent the deadly effects of diarrhoea – immediate initiation of Oral Rehydration Salt (ORS) and zinc, continued feeding including breast feeding, rational use of antibiotics and safe and hygienic sanitation practices,’’ said Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, here on Monday, while launching the Intensified Diarrhoea Control Fortnight (IDCF), which will be held from July 28 to August 8.
The programme that has been launched across the country is a set of activities to be implemented in an intensified manner to prevent deaths due to childhood diarrhoea across all districts in India. These activities mainly include intensification of advocacy and awareness-generation activities, diarrhoea management service provision, establishing ORS-zinc corners, ORS distribution by health workers, detection of undernourished children and their treatment and promotion of infant and young child feeding activities.
Dr. Vardhan stated that building on the good progress that India has already made in reducing child deaths, the IDCF will mobilise health personnel, State government and other stakeholders to prioritise investment in control of diarrhoea. He added: “This is one of the most common childhood illnesses. Our aim is create mass awareness about the most effective and low-cost diarrhoea treatment.”
