Shimla: Health and Family Welfare Minister Kaul Singh Thakur will launch Intensified Diarrhea Control Fortnight (IDCF) from Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla on 28 July, 2014.

A spokesperson of the Health department said here today that IDCF was being implemented in an intensified manner to prevent death due to childhood diarrhea across the State. It includes intensification of advocacy activities upto village level, awareness generation activities, diarrhea management service provision, establishing ORS-Zinc Corners, proper way of hand washing before Mid-Day Meal to be taught by the Medical Officers, promotion of Water Sanitation and Hygiene Activities (WASH Activities) in schools through different competitions for children, ORS distribution, detection of undernourished children and their treatment, and promotion of Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices.

He said that the core IDCF was divided over two weeks and the focus would be on dedicated thematic areas that affect diarrhoeal mortality. In first week focus would be on diarrhea control related activities and during second week concentration would be on Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) Practices.

He said that for sensitization of target audience, teachers, school children, Panchayati Raj Institution members, Health and ICDS functionaries etc. would be involved in such activities.