Scaling Up Zinc - The Way Forward 2007

The SUZY Project of ICDDR,B held its 4th international conference on scaling up zinc on 6-7 May 2007 at ICDDR,B in collaboration with the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.

The theme of the international conference was ’Scaling Up Zinc - The Way Forward.’ The presentations focused on recent research findings in support of scaling up zinc, initiatives taken in different parts of Asia and Africa, challenges in scaling up zinc and the launching of zinc treatment in Bangladesh.

Speakers at the conference, national and international, shared with the participants their experiences with zinc treatment projects undertaken in their respective countries.

The participants of the conference included representatives from the MoHFW of Bangladesh, Kenya, Tanzania, India, International Rescue Committee, John Hopkins School of Public Health/ USA, international and national NGOs, the Institute for Child and Mother Health and ICDDR,B.

In the first plenary session titled ‘Recent Research Findings’ Dr. Peter Winch from the Department of International Health, John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA made a presentation on differential response at the village level to introduction of combination therapy for malaria and zinc for diarrhoea in Sikasso Region, Mali.

Dr. Dewan Shamsul Alam, Associate Scientist of Public Health Sciences Division, ICDDR,B presented the findings of randomized, double-blind controlled community trial to compare the efficacy of a short course (5-day) and the 10-day course of 20 mg/day of elemental zinc in the management of acute diarrhoea in young children.

Dr. S K Roy, Senior Scientist of Clinical Sciences Division, ICDDR,B made presentation on zinc supplementation in the management of shigellosis in malnourished children in Bangladesh.

The 2^nd plenary session on Recent Research Findings started with Dr Firdausi Qadri’s presentation on zinc treatment with and without follow-up supplementation trial: immune outcomes. Dr. Qadri is head of Immunology Laboratory, Laboratory Sciences Division of ICDDR,B

Dr. Charles P Larson, Director of Health Systems and Infectious Diseases Division and Principal Investigator of SUZY Project, ICDDR,B made his presentation on zinc supplementation following zinc treatment of acute childhood diarrhea: a randomized, double-blind field trial.

Dr Tahmeed Ahmed, Head of Nutrition Program, ICDDR,B made presentation on the Mainstreaming Nutrition Initiative.

The session on Recent Research Findings ended with the presentation titled ‘Risk for Vomiting or Regurgitation in the initiation of Zinc Treatment for Acute Childhood Diarrhea: a Randomized Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trial’. Professor Sufia Khatun, Professor of Paediatrics, Institute for Child and Mother Health, made the presentation.

The plenary session of the international conference titled ‘Challenges in scaling up zinc’ started with Professor M. A. Mannan’s presentation on the efficacy and safety of zinc therapy in different childhood illnesses. Professor Mannan is president of Bangladesh Paediatric Association and pro-vice chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University in Dhaka.

Mr. Camille Saadé, Director of Point-of-Use Water Disinfection and Zinc Treatment (POUZN) project at Academy for Educational Development, USA shared the views on the role of the private sector in zinc supply and demand in light with the POUZN experience in India and Tanzania.

Dr. Md. Altaf Hossain, Deputy Programme Manager, IMCI, Directorate General of Health Services, MoHFW, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, discussed on the public sector rollout of zinc treatment in Bangladesh through its IMCI program.

Katharine Haxall, Child Survival & Health Program Manager of International Rescue Committee (IRC) shared the IRC experience in scaling up zinc treatment in conflict-affected settings.

The final plenary session of the international conference was on ‘Zinc Promotion and Production’. In this session, Md. Rafiqul Islam, Director of Marketing and Sales, The ACME Laboratories Limited highlighted on the manufacturing, marketing & distribution of Baby Zinc in Bangladesh.

Shomi Kaiser, Managing Director of Dhansiri Media Production House, the agency engaged in the mass media campaign of Baby Zinc in Bangladesh, focused on launching Baby Zinc communication campaign at national level: best practices and lessons learned.

Dr Shamima Akhter of Health Systems and Infectious Diseases Division of ICDDR,B shared the findings on willingness-to-pay for zinc treatment of childhood diarrhea in a rural population of Bangladesh and Dr Samina Sultana of SUZY Project, ICDDR,B shared the experience on orientation and training of health care providers.