"A child receives zinc syrup to treat
diarrhea."
“"India is the single most critical
country for diarrhea mortality.
More than 500,000 children
die annually from diarrhea.
... No government can
create or fund the amount of
zinc necessary to address
this disease. It will take the
manufacturers to jumpstart
this process and make it sustainable
over the long-term."
– Margaret Parlato, Head of
AED’s Global Health
Population and Nutrition.
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An initial $150,000 in funding by the United States Agency for
International Development (USAID) leveraged more than $1.2 million of
investment from the pharmaceutical industry in the first year of USAID’s
Point-Of-Use Water Disinfection and Zinc Treatment (POUZN) project
to promote the use of zinc treatment for diarrhea. POUZN enlisted the
support of several pharmaceutical firms in India to develop, market, and
distribute zinc tablets and syrups across the country.
In India, more than 500,000 deaths occur annually due to
childhood diarrhea. The use of zinc, along with oral rehydration therapy
(ORT), is recommended by the World Health Organization to decrease
the incidence and severity of diarrhea.
Five of India’s largest pharmaceutical firms – Emcure, Dr. Reddy’s,
Zuventus, USV, and Wallace Pharmaceuticals – invested in the effort to
make zinc formulations available nationwide in India, with the goal of
targeting low-income families in at-risk populations. Collaborations with
civil society groups and health volunteers have helped to ensure that
the products reach these groups.
With more than 1.2 million doses sold in the first six months of the project
– up from 19,000 a year earlier – this public-private partnership has
led to the creation of a new market, with sales expected to grow steadily
over the next few years.
The first phase of the project aimed to promote zinc treatment for diarrhea
through health professionals by creating “zinc champions.” USAID
funds have helped to ensure the quality and design of marketing activities
with public health messages. The pharmaceutical companies invested
in promotion, product development, and distribution. More than 1,200
medical representatives from the partner companies have been trained
on the benefits and promotion of the new zinc tablets and syrup in the
treatment of diarrhea. They are now targeting more than 15,500 pediatricians
and 60,000 licensed general practitioners across India. In its second
phase, the project will begin marketing to promote zinc treatment for
diarrhea to the general public in India.
After an extensive information campaign, the Indian Government
announced a new policy to promote zinc in November 2006 as part of
its national diarrhea management guidelines.
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