Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar launched the Intensified Diarrhoea Control Fortnight (IDCF)-2022 in the presence of Dr Sapam Ranjan Singh, Health Minister of Manipur. IDCF programme is being implemented till June 27, 2022, in the states/UTs. The goal of IDCF is to attain zero child deaths due to childhood diarrhoea.

IDCF consists of a set of activities to be implemented in an intensified manner for the prevention and control of deaths due to dehydration from diarrhoea across all states and UTs. These activities mainly include intensification of advocacy and awareness generation activities for diarrhoea management, strengthening service provision for diarrhoea case management, the establishment of ORS-Zinc corners, and prepositioning of ORS by ASHA in households with under-five children and awareness generation activities for hygiene and sanitation.

One of the main activities under the IDCF programme has been the activities by field workers including ASHA, ANM and Anganwadi workers. Field workers visit the homes of families with children below five years of age and provide counselling in case of diarrhoea for the distribution of zinc and ORS sachets. They also promote sanitation practices, and breastfeeding practices and advise on the preparation method of ORS through group meetings among mothers.