Date:12/08/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/08/12/stories/2005081202370800.htm

Back Lifebuoy joins campaigns against diarrhoea in Mumbai

Our Bureau

Mumbai , Aug. 11

THE residents of Mumbai now have a new challenge to face — prevention of diarrhoea, as an aftermath of the torrential rains. To help combat this situation, Lifebuoy, Hindustan Lever Ltd's (HLL) health soap brand, has announced its support of a total of 1,50,256 soaps to UNICEF, People for Change (supported by Ms Smriti Irani, television actress), Tata Institute for Social Sciences (TISS) and BehtarBharat.com for distribution.

Washing of hands with soap is a simple means to prevent diarrhoea and is known to reduce the chances of contracting the disease. UNICEF has been in urgent need of soap and the one lakh units provided by Lifebuoy will be distributed through volunteers who will also communicate the importance of washing hands with soap and water. Similarly, TISS would distribute 5,000 kits, containing Lifebuoy soap and other essentials such as toothpaste, washing powder sachets, cotton roll, chlorine drops bottle, anti-fungal powder and antiseptic cream. People for Change, supported by Ms Irani, will also distribute Lifebuoy soaps along with other necessities to rain-affected areas. One thousand T-shirts, communicating the core messages of washing hands with soap and boiling water for drinking, have been given to volunteers of BehtarBarat.com, to be worn during the relief effort.

Mr Ashok Venkatramani, Vice-President - Skin Care, HLL, said, "We are happy to provide support to the organisations and their effort to extend the necessary health facilities for the underprivileged and through this act, we hope to make a positive contribution to the health of the community. The brand has also been educating people on the importance of hand wash with soap and water, and how this simple act can help reduce diarrhoea by 47 per cent. This is yet another effort in this direction."

Lifebuoy's efforts in the area of health and hygiene, particularly towards the prevention of diarrhoea include `Save the Children' campaign, through which the consumer's winning not only benefits them, but also children across the country through an equal sum contributed to the WHO-recommended ORS campaign that helps children deal with diarrhoea. Also lending support to this campaign is Ms Irani.

Lifebuoy Swasthya Chetna campaign, has touched 70 million Indians in 18,000 villages in seven states through repeated exposures to health and hygiene messages since 2002.