Stop Diarrhoea Campaign 2025: Collective Action for Community Well-being

Diarrhoea is preventable and curable, yet millions, especially children, die each year due to low awareness and limited ORS use. Kenvue, in partnership with PSI India under the ‘Diarrhoea Se Darr Nahi’ initiative, aims to strengthen ORS coverage in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar through capacity building of community health workers and driving partnership with healthcare ecosystem.”

Preparations began with micro-planning for high-risk slum pockets and development of IEC materials such as posters, leaflets, radio jingles, and scripts for street plays. More than 10,000 frontline workers were trained on prevention, management, and effective communication around diarrhoea.

The “Diarrhoea Se Darr Nahi” Prachar Vahan, an outreach van designed to spread awareness across communities was launched by Shri Awdesh Narayan Singh, Hon’ble Member, Bihar Legislative Council; Shri Mangal Pandey, Hon’ble Health Minister, Bihar and Dr. Pinki Jowel (IAS), Mission Director, National Health Mission (NHM), Uttar Pradesh. A signature campaign further encouraged collective commitment from stakeholders, while IEC and communication materials were unveiled to amplify awareness on prevention, causes, and early treatment of diarrhoea.

Dr. Pinki Jowel (IAS), Mission Director, NHM Uttar Pradesh, said- “Our goal is not just to promote the use of ORS and zinc, but to build a culture of health awareness, one that recognizes the importance of prevention and timely care.”

Media coverage, including NDTV interviews with senior NHM officials and the Executive Director of PSI India, further strengthened the campaign’s visibility.

In all intervention districts, District Magistrates, Chief Medical Officers, Civil Surgeon and elected representatives flagged off Prachar Vahans—e-rickshaws equipped with posters, banners, and audio messages. Community rallies, where organized, added enthusiasm and ensured widespread visibility. Alongside, ORS and Zinc Corners were established in public and private facilities, schools, Anganwadi Centres, and community spaces. Decorated with rangoli, posters, and selfie cut-outs, these corners attracted families and offered live demonstrations on correct ORS preparation. By the end of the campaign, 1,575 ORS corners were functional in public facilities and 38 in private facilities.

Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA), Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM), and Community Health Officer (CHO), conducted door-to-door visits distributed ORS packets and zinc tablets and demonstrated how to prepare ORS correctly. Engaging IEC materials including posters, diaries, standees, snakes-and-ladders games, and selfie frames were extensively used during outreach

Complementing these interpersonal efforts, radio stations - Akashvani, Fever FM, and Community Radio broadcast awareness messages. To visually reinforce preventive behaviours, nearly 650 wall paintings were created in prominent public locations such as markets, health centres, schools, and panchayat offices.

Street plays in markets and community areas became crucial crowd-pullers, blending entertainment with awareness messages. Schools also played an active part by organizing rallies, quizzes, poster competitions, encouraging children to act as ambassadors of change.

The Stop Diarrhoea Campaign 2025 in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar strengthened awareness, improved access to treatment, and built a culture of prevention to reduce childhood diarrhoeal disease.