Shashwat Sahbhagi Sansthan

The backdrop of the work is a joint statement of UNICEF and WHO in May 2004 calling for use of oral rehydration salts (ORS) and Zinc in treatment of child diarrhoea.

It is seen that in vast rural areas of the country a large number of registered medical practitioners (RMPs) are doing their clinical practice without sound knowledge. These RMPs are scattered over large area and hence beyond the reach of pharmaceutical industry as the industry does not find it cost effective to approach them. More than 75 per cent of diarrhoea cases are first treated by RMPs and neighbourhood medical store personnel. Therefore, it was necessary to sensitize these critical health service providers about new treatment of diarrhoea with ORS and zinc.

Starting from Mishrikh block of Sitapur in June 2008 and emboldened with success, intervetnions were expanded to other areas. At present the interventions are underway in 13 districts of the state: Sitapur, Hardoi, Shahjahanpur, Bareilly, Badaun, Khiri, Pilibhit, Kannauj, Farrukhabad, Rae Bareli, Gonda, Bahraich and Shrawasti.

Interventions in Khiri, Pilibhit, Kannauj and Farrukhabad districts are targeted at public sector which includes ASHA, Anganwad and ANMs. Those in Khiri, Pilibhit and Rae Bareli districts are targeted at private sector. And those in Gonda, Bahraich and Shrawasti districts are targeted at care givers, who include self-help groups, primary schools and mothers groups.

The broad objectives of the interventions are to sensitise registered medical practitioners and medical store personnel on the issue and to increase the number of zinc users for diarrhoea management.