New Delhi, July 29 (IANS) Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) is an affordable and effective healthcare solution for dehydration and diarrhoea, said Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Tuesday.

World ORS Day is observed annually on July 29 to raise awareness about the importance of Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) in treating dehydration caused by diarrhoea and other conditions.

“Today, we observe World ORS Day to highlight the importance of Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) as an affordable and effective healthcare solution for treating dehydration and diarrhea,” Nadda said in a post on social media platform X.

“ORS is a simple yet powerful remedy that prevents and treats dehydration, a condition that can be life-threatening, especially in young children.

“This day aims to raise widespread awareness about this lifesaving treatment, ensuring that everyone has access to this crucial remedy that has the potential to save millions of lives,” the Union Minister said.

Acute diarrhoeal diseases are one of the leading causes of mortality in infants and young children in many developing countries. In most cases, death is caused by dehydration.

Dehydration from diarrhoea can be prevented by giving extra fluids at home, or it can be treated effectively and cheaply in all age groups. In severe cases, patients must be given an adequate glucose-electrolyte solution — ORS as recommended by the WHO Diarrhoeal Diseases Control (CDD) Programme.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) advises giving ORS and zinc to children on time to prevent diarrhoea and dehydration. It is also available free of cost at every health centre.

In 2024, the MoHFW rebranded its long-standing Intensified Diarrhoea Control Fortnight (IDCF) as the STOP Diarrhoea Campaign to tackle the persistent issue of childhood diarrhoea and strive for zero child deaths.

The initiative, which began in 2014, focuses on enhancing the Prevent, Protect, and Treat (PPT) strategy and increasing the use of ORS and Zinc.

The campaign aimed at strengthening health infrastructure, improving access to clean water and sanitation, enhancing nutritional programmes, and promoting hygiene education.

–IANS

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