Campaign Launched in Rajasthan to Prevent Diarrhea Deaths

JAIPUR | August 10, 2002

A communications campaign was launched today in Rajasthan to raise awareness about diarrhea and to promote the increased use of the World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended oral rehydration salts (ORS). The effort in Rajasthan is part of a larger $ one million campaign in north India launched by the ICICI Bank and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), in partnership with the Indian Academy of Pediatrics.

The campaign in Rajasthan was launched on August 10 to mark the National ORS Day. Each year over 600,000 Indian children die of dehydration resulting from diarrhea. The WHO's oral rehydration salts are a simple, yet powerful, solution that replaces fluids and electrolytes lost during diarrheal dehydration.

An example of public-private partnership in India's health sector, this campaign has so far targeted almost 25,000 chemists and 50,000 medical practitioners. Six pharmaceutical ORS manufacturers - CFL Pharma, FDC, Merck, TTK Healthcare, Shreya Life Sciences and Wallace Pharma - are working closely with ICICI Bank to promote the use of the oral rehydration salts in the medical fraternity.

<< Back