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Child Morbidity & Mortality Reduction

Reduction in morbidity and mortality due to Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) and Diarrhoeal Diseases:
Promotion of zinc and ORS supplies is ensured.

Childhood Diarrhoea:
In order to control Diarrhoeal diseases Government of India has adopted the WHO guidelines on Diarrhoea management.

  • India introduced the low osmolarity Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS), as recommended by WHO for the management of diarrhoea
  • Zinc has been approved as an adjunct to ORS for the management of diarrhea. Addition of Zinc would result in reduction of the number and severity of episodes and the duration of diarrhoea
  • New guidelines on management of diarrhoea have been modified based on the latest available scientific evidence

Acute Respiratory Infections:

  • Acute Respiratory Infections forms 19 % of all under five mortalities in India (WHO 2007 report) and along with Diarrhoea are two major killers of under five children
  • India leads the world in the number of pneumonia cases with nearly 44, 00, 000 cases yearly. Early diagnosis and appropriate case management by rational use of antibiotics remains one of the most effective interventions to prevent deaths due to pneumonia. The ARI guidelines are being revised with the inclusion of the latest available global evidence