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Leveraging Industry to Enhance Diarrhea Treatment

This case study demonstrates the effectiveness of engaging the public and private health sectors in implementing a program to encourage the use of zinc products to treat diarrhea in Indonesia. The high prevalence of child morbidity and mortality due to persistent diarrhea provided the impetus for the health intervention that focused on increasing both supply of zinc products and demand for zinc treatment. The study discusses approaches taken to create an enabling policy environment, encourage private sector supply, and generate consumer demand for zinc treatments. After three years, the number of zinc products widely available to consumers in Indonesia had increased from zero to thirteen, and the percentage of surveyed caregivers who reported recently giving zinc treatments to their child increased from 5% to 16%. A table highlighting program successes is included in the study.