Handout 20E: Pakistan: ORT promotion

based on documents provided by David Mason, UNICEF-- Islamabad

A national campaign to popularize Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT) in Pakistan was discussed at length at a recent ORT promotion workshop. The workshop formulated advocacy motivation, promotion, and training plans. The following are messages on diarrhoea control and ORT promotion developed at the workshop.

Messages for Community Education

1. If not treated immediately, diarrhoea can be dangerous. Your child can die from diarrhoea.

2. If your- child passes three or more loose watery stools in a day, he has diarrhoea.

3. Diarrhoea is dangerous. Much water is lost. Diarrhoea brings malnutrition.

4. Sometimes a child with diarrhoea starts vomiting. This speeds up water loss, and the danger is greater.

5. When your child has diarrhoea give Elaj-e-Julab (ORS). Give it every few minutes. Give it as much as he wants

6. Elaj-e-Julab called Nimkol is available free from all health facilities. Or you can buy Elaj-e-Julab.

7. To prepare Elaj-e-Julab, pour four glasses of drinking water into a pot and add a small packet of Nimkol. For a large packet, take one seer of water. This can be used for 24 hours.

**8. If Elaj-e-Julab is not available, it can be prepared at home. Put two scoops of sugar and two pinches (using three fingers) of salt into one seer of drinking water. Lemon or orange juice can also be added

** This message will be clarified following further studies into the best "formula" for specifying quantities.

9. If your baby's eyes are sunken, his mouth, tongue, and eyes dry, and his skin when pinched does not go back quickly, he has lost too muck water. These are signs of danger.

10. When you set the danger signs, rush your child to the health centre

11. Take your child to the health centre if he has diarrhoea and you cannot feet his pulse. Take him if he keeps vomiting. Take him if he absolutely refuses to drink. Always try to feed Elaj-e-Julab on the way there.

12. If diarrhoea is only mild, keep on giving Elaj-eJulab to your baby at regular intervals. Tea, rice water, or herb water is also good for diarrhoea.

13. During diarrhoea, keep on breastfeeding.

14. Do not stop feeding your child when he has diarrhoea.

15. When your child starts getting better, encourage him to take semi-solid foods, even if he does not want to. Dahi, khitchri, and mashed banana are good.

16. Breastfeeding is the best way to protect a baby against diarrhoea.

17. To prevent diarrhoea, always feed your child with a cup and spoon, never with a bottle. Bottle-feeding causes diarrhoea.

18. Wash your hands before preparing food or feeding your baby. Wash your child's hands before he eats.

19. Cover your food to protect it from flies and dirt. Your baby's food must be kept clean or he will get diarrhoea.

20. Keep your home clean, especially the floor. Your children play on the floor and will get diarrhoea from dirt there.

21. Build a latrine if you can. Let the whole family use it.

22. Have your child immunized against the worst diseases. You must go three times. immunization is free.

23. Your baby should weighed regularly to ensure that his health is progressing satisfactorily after sickness.

24. Thousands of Pakistani children die from diarrhoea. Look after your baby. Give him Elaj-e-Julab when he has diarrhoea.

Basic Messages for National ORT Campaign

1. Diarrhoea can kill.
2. Elaj-e-Lulab is the best treatment.
3. If it is not available, make it yourself.
4. For mild diarrhoea, give drinks freely.
5. Continue breastfeeding and giving other foods.
6. If diarrhoea is very bad, or continues for two or three days, see a health worker.

(From: UNICEF. "Project Support Communications Newsletter" April 1984, p.5)