Recorded presentation

Rocio Florez, The World Bank Office, Lima, Water and Sanitation Program (WSP), Alvarez Calderón 185, San Isidro, Lima, Peru, (51-1) 615-0685, kleinauef@ehproject.org

Diarrhea is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in children under the age of five in Peru. Approximately 3.5 million cases of diarrhea occur every year in children under five . About 2,000 children die every year due to this disease. Episodes may last 3 to 4 days, and may occur 5 to 10 times a year. 25% of Peruvian children suffer malnutrition. With mounting evidence of the ability of handwashing with soap to reduce instances of diarrhea, The Peru Handwashing Initiative was formed in 2003. The Initiative’s goal is to double handwashing habit and to reduce diarrhea up to 20% in a three year period, on targeted population. Partners include the Ministry of Health, the Water and Sanitation Program, The World Bank, Colgate-Palmolive, USAID, CARE, among others. The Initiative conducted extensive consumer research which has driven the development of communication strategy with two main components: mass media and interpersonal communication activities. The strength of the communication strategy relies on well designed, well targeted communication campaigns. The initiative is built upon existing institutional structures: interpersonal efforts of communication will be implemented by committed partners, such as the Ministries of Health and Education and NGO’s with health promotion knowledge and ongoing programs. A communication network is being built to transmit the handwashing message among poorest segments of the population both at peri urban and rural areas of Peru.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will gain a solid understanding of the three most important interventions to prevent childhood diarrhea and the programmatic challenges associated with their implementation.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation