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In 2002, the World Health Organization (WHO) defined zinc deficiency as one of the major risks to child health, linking deficiency to 10% of diarrhea, 6% of lower respiratory tract infections, and 18% of malaria morbidity. In May 2004, WHO/UNICEF issued a joint statement recommending the use of zinc supplementation and the new formulation oral rehydration salts (ORS) as a two-pronged approach to improved case management of acute diarrhea in children. Dispersible zinc tablets, which dissolve easily in a tablespoon of clean water, have been proven through numerous efficacy trials to reduce the severity and duration of acute and persistent diarrhea in children in developing countries. A ten day course is also proven to provide a prophylactic protection against future bouts of diarrhea for two to three months after the episode. Studies have shown that zinc supplementation results in a 25% reduction in duration of acute diarrhea and 40% reduction in treatment failure or death in persistent diarrhea. Dispersible zinc tablets can be used for zinc supplementation for children aged one to 59 months. WHO and UNICEF recommend 20 mg of zinc per day for ten -14 days for infants and children, ten mg for infants under six months of age. The zinc tablets can be marketed as a stand alone product or packaged
together along with ORS as a Diarrhea Treatment Kit (DTK). PSI will
pilot the Orasel Diarrhea treatment kit in Cambodia, and Zinc treatments
in Nepal early in 2006. The kit contains a ten day course of zinc treatments
along with two sachets of ORS. PSI/Haiti is gathering donor support to add a new zinc component to its already popular ORS Sel Lavi. The diarrhea treatment kit will also be piloted in Ethiopia in early 2006. |
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