Increasing ORT use in Bangladesh.

Abstract

90% of parents in Bangladesh are familiar with oral rehydration therapy (ORT) and more than 80% administer some amount of ORT fluids while still feeding their children during diarrheal episodes. Yet only about 45% administered increased ORT fluids. The concept of using the child as teacher has been developed into an ORT promotion strategy to close the gap between knowledge and behavior in Bangladesh. The strategy involves combining the Meena Initiative which promotes the potential of girls and the elimination of extreme discrimination against girls and the scout movement. Meena an enchanting heroine of a cartoon film series developed by UNICEF has been transformed into a guide and her brother Raju into a scout. The communication strategy involves the scouts promoting ORT use to nonscout students nonstudent children their own parents other parents and the community. The Promotion of ORT Project aims to communicate effectively to the targeted audiences the need to increase fluids to continue feeding and to refer children with diarrhea whose condition does not improve; to increase ORT coverage to 80% in Khulna division; and to reduce the number of diarrhea-related deaths among children under 5 years of age by 50%. ORT camps (3 days in the field and 1 day in school) will train scouts nonscout students teachers and health workers. Once they have been oriented they divide into 3 teams (4-5 scouts and nonscouts) and conduct house-to-house visits promoting ORT use. Once every house has been visited either a white flag goes up or an ORT tree is planted in a prominent location as a recognition of success. The government supports large-scale mobilization for child survival projects such as this project.