Comprehensive Diarrheal Disease Control

MCHIP’s goal is to scale up the revitalization of Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT) and introduction of zinc in countries with high diarrhea disease. Community-based treatment of malaria and/or pneumonia provides platforms to integrate diarrhea case management (Oral Rehydration Salt and zinc).  The Program contributes to increased appropriate use of fluids (including ORS) for household-level management of diarrhea, and seeks opportunities to ensure that other key aspects of diarrheal disease control are also systematically addressed. These include routine use of zinc (rather than the inappropriate treatments commonly used), advice on feeding during and after illness, and key water and sanitation/hygiene (WASH) practices, notably handwashing.

Key areas of focus include:

• Expanding the role of community health workers to include diarrheal disease control activities, where appropriate, and contribute to reductions in under-five mortality attributed to diarrheal disease; and
• Advancing activities to revitalize comprehensive diarrheal disease case management at the country level.