Prime Highlights
- ORSL and PSI India’s “Diarrhoea Se Darr Nahi” initiative aims to reach nearly five million children under five across 16 districts in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
- The programme has trained over 34,000 frontline health workers and set up nearly 5,000 ORS-Zinc corners since its launch.
Key Facts
- ORSL is an Oral Rehydration Salts brand based on the WHO formula, marketed by Kenvue India in partnership with PSI India.
- The National Health Mission, Uttar Pradesh, has officially endorsed the initiative at both state and district levels.
Background
Manufacturers of ORSL, a product line for Oral Rehydration Salts formulated after the WHO formulation, and Population Services International India have once again reiterated their support towards addressing the problem of childhood diarrhoea in the country through their “Diarrhoea Se Darr Nahi” campaign. The campaign is meant to aid the “Stop Diarrhoea” campaign by the government in targeting 16 high-burden districts in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, to reach nearly five million children below five years of age over a period of two years.
Diarrhoea continues to be one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality among children under five years of age in India. Since its launch, the initiative has driven behaviour change among over 23 million people and trained more than 34,000 frontline health workers. It has also set up nearly 5,000 ORS-Zinc corners across health facilities and oriented over 550 chemists as community touchpoints. The National Health Mission, Uttar Pradesh, has endorsed the initiative at both state and district levels.
Prashant Shinde, Business Unit Head – Self Care at Kenvue India, said improving child health outcomes required sustained action, including better access to ORS and stronger community health systems. He added that the company remained committed to reducing preventable childhood illness in India.
Marking World ORS Day last week, a “Stop Diarrhoea Awareness Van” was flagged off in Lucknow with senior health officials in attendance. Mukesh Kumar Sharma, Executive Director of PSI India, noted that engaging school children and community members had strengthened awareness efforts, and said the organisation planned to expand into other regions. A month-long outreach campaign is now planned across programme districts.
