ISLAMABAD: A recent study has highlighted the potential of Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) to save the lives of approximately half a million children annually, underscoring the critical importance of this cheap and effective treatment for diarrhoea.
Globally, diarrhoea claims the lives of around 500,000 children under the age of five each year, with India being one of the worst-affected countries. Despite being a leading cause of child mortality in India, ORS remains underutilized as a treatment.
Researchers from the University of Southern California (USC) conducted a comprehensive survey involving approximately 2,000 healthcare providers across over 200 towns in Bihar and Karnataka to understand the reasons behind the under-prescription of ORS.
Significance of ORS for Children During Diarrhoea
Published in the journal Science, the findings revealed that 50% of children with diarrhoea in India do not receive ORS, primarily due to misperceptions among healthcare providers. The study highlighted that many providers believe patients do not want ORS, contributing significantly to its under-prescription.
Neeraj Sood, from the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics, emphasized, “Even when children seek care from a health care provider for their diarrhoea, as most do, they often do not receive ORS, which costs only a few cents and has been recommended by the World Health Organization for decades.”
Manoj Mohanan, Professor at Duke University, further elaborated on the findings, emphasizing that patients expressing a preference for ORS significantly increased its prescription rates. This intervention proved more effective than eliminating stock outs or financial incentives.
The study spanned states with diverse socioeconomic demographics to ensure comprehensive results. Bihar, one of India’s poorest states, exhibited below-average ORS use.
