The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched Intensified Diarrhoea Control Fortnight (IDCF)

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on 11 July 2016 launched a nationwide Intensified Diarrhoea Control Fortnight (IDCF)..
As per the statistics, 13 children under the age of five die as a result of diarrhoea every hour in India.
In 2015, over 21 lakh children were administered Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) and zinc during the 15 days of the programme.
•    The programme aims at covering over 80% of children (of the 10 crore children below five years of age) affected by diarrhoea across India.
•    The children will be administered ORS by the ASHA workers.
•    The children will also be counselled about the benefits and the process of preparing ORS.
•    Intensified community awareness campaigns on hygiene and promotion of ORS and Zinc therapy will be conducted at the state, district and village levels.
•    Diarrhoea is the condition of having at least three loose or liquid bowel movements each day.
•    It often lasts for a few days and can result in dehydration due to fluid loss.
•    Signs of dehydration often begin with loss of the normal stretchiness of the skin and irritable behaviour, which can often progress to decreased urination, loss of skin colour, etc.
•    It is often caused by a virus, bacteria, or parasite.