Thoothukudi
A two-week-long diarrhoea prevention camp for children under five years of age would be conducted from May 28 to June 8 across the district. A total of 1.38 lakh children would benefit from the initiative.
In an effort to reduce the mortality of children under five in the State to 10 per 1000 from the current figure of 19, the camp would be conducted at anganwadi centres, schools, primary health centres and other locations.
Anganwadi workers will distribute oral rehydration salts (ORS) packs to parents, and create awareness of tackling diarrhoea. The parents would be advised to provide ORS solution and zinc tablets if a child is affected by diarrhoea.
Diarrhoea, which stands only next to pneumonia in the cause of deaths, accounts for 10%mortality in the age group.
Major causes for diarrhoea include not feeding colostrum, unhygienic conditions, use of unsafe drinking water and lack of awareness of feeding breastmilk alone until the age of six months.