PSI is preventing and treating diarrhea, one of the worst killers of children under five, through the social marketing of affordable home water treatment products in more than 20 countries and oral rehydration salts in Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, India, Haiti and Malawi.

More than one billion people still lack access to safe water, despite the billions of dollars spent on infrastructure. An estimated 3-5 billion episodes of diarrhea result in about 3 million deaths every year. Diarrhea itself is not the cause of death, but rather the dehydration brought on by diarrhea. Approximately three quarters of the body is composed of water, and if fluid loss exceeds ten percent of total body fluid, vital organs collapse, followed by death. If an episode is severe, as with cholera, death can occur within just eight hours.

Cleaning Water at the Household Level
To address this critical problem, PSI markets the "safe water system" (SWS), an innovative, practical and cost-efficient water quality intervention appropriate for the developing world. The treatment consists of a bottle of chlorine solution used to disinfect water at point of use. Use of this simple solution reduces diarrhea episodes by a remarkable 30-50%. The solution is remarkably cost-effective: It can be produced locally and can provide clean drinking water for a family of six for a penny or less a day. In addition to providing the solution at a low cost, SWS programs also conduct communication campaigns to encourage safe water storage practices and proper hygiene, including hand-washing with soap.

Research done by the CDC shows that SWS can improve the health of HIV positive people as chronic diarrhea can prove life-threatening for those with weakened immune systems. Considering the lack of anti-retroviral treatment for the vast majority of those suffering from HIV/AIDS, avoidance of opportunistic infections provides a chance for a longer and healthier life.

PuR Purifier of Water, developed by Procter & Gamble in collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is a powder that removes pathogens and causes particles to settle to the bottom of the mixing container when mixed with water. PuR uses the same ingredients as municipal water treatment facilities, but is packaged in a sachet allowing the user to treat water easily and affordably in the home. Each sachet treats 10 liters of water. PSI's PuR point-of-use water treatment programs have achieved significant reductions in diarrheal disease, with especially high reductions during water-borne epidemics.

Treating Diarrhea Episodes
PSI also addresses the treatment of dehydration caused by diarrhea through the social marketing of oral rehydration salts (ORS), which it has been doing since 1985. ORS, a blend of electrolytes, sugar, and water, restores body fluid and electrolytes more rapidly than any other liquid, and does so even when the intestinal wall is compromised by disease. PSI distributes ORS to stores where people can access it quickly in time of need. PSI educates storekeepers and pharmacists about ORS, and calls on doctors to remind them of their importance in treating children. To reach the caretakers of young children directly, PSI uses a variety of communications methods, including street theater and education session for community groups, as well as radio and television advertising.