The Use Of Timely Intervention

Diarrhoea, a waterborne disease, causes severe and life-threatening illness among children, especially those who are below five. During the rainy season, its menace increases manifold, as the pathogens get favourable climatic conditions and multiply frequently. It is a health condition that leads to watery bowel movements more frequently. This is the way the body fights against the germs to flush them out. However, while doing so, the body loses fluids and minerals. In most cases, it causes fever, nausea, frequent bowel movements and vomiting.

If the body is not replenished with fluids and minerals regularly it can have serious consequences, such as severe dehydration and even death. Diarrhoea is a recurrent scourge that disproportionately affects the poor and the most vulnerable sections. “Diarrhoea can become dangerous if not attended on time,” says Dr Neeta Kejriwal, a paediatrician, HCMCT Manipal Hospitals, Delhi. The saving grace is that the disease can be prevented easily, through basic hygiene and sanitation, along with timely immunisation and exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months.

The WHO’s 7-point plan seeks to address the prevention and treatment of diarrhoea. The treatment is through easily-available and cost-effective zinc tablets and oral rehydration salts (ORS). The challenge is to nudge people to adopt behaviours and habits, and bundle this information in a single package.

Culturally, relevant behaviour change and design thinking are key approaches to tackle this persistent problem. When designing solutions, understanding culture and context is important. For instance, if a kit is to be designed for a rural household, an important issue to consider is that the sizes of the homes are small, and cannot accommodate large kits. Products have to be multi-functional, so that even when consumables are finished, the message remains.

The Dettol Diarrhoea Net Zero Programme, started in 2017, evolved from Reckitt’s commitment to saving lives of those under 5 from preventable diseases. Different approaches were used in various states. For instance, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, Project Hope was a women-led intervention that encouraged local leaders to provide information and enable access to affordable hygiene and health products.

The programme evolved into Dettol Hygiene Impact Bond, where an impact financing framework was used to incentivise positive health outcomes through a focused intervention that employed vouchers to encourage timely referral and treatment of diarrhoea. However, information from ground level led to several insights that were used to design the Dettol Diarrhoea Net Zero Programme. Under it, evidence-led interventions backed by disruptive design thinking and empathy aim to save 150,000 lives. The Diarrhoea Net Zero kit bundles information and products in a compact and sturdy metal container.

The information leaflet provides key facts and advice on prevention and treatment of diarrhoea in an easy-to-understand manner. The kit bundles Dettol sanitiser, soap, ORS packets and zinc tablets, along with a thermometer and treatment card for parents. The box has key messages for parents so that even after the contents are consumed and the box is used for other purposes, the information remains.

Jyotsna Sistla Manager, Purpose Programmes, Reckitt