Ferozsons Laboratories Limited partners with PanTheryx Inc. USA to introduce DiaResQ

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) –   Ferozsons Laboratories Limited, a publicly listed healthcare company has partnered with PanTheryx Inc. an innovative US life science company, to launch DiaResQ sachets, a breakthrough nutritional innovation for diarrhoea relief in children and adults. The product was included among the world’s 30 leading healthcare innovations that show promise in transforming global health by 2030, in the “Reimagining Global Health, Innovation Countdown 2030” report, produced by PATH, and supported by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway.¹ DiaResQ gives physicians an option for a highly effective nature-based treatment of diarrhoea, a disease that annually claims the lives of over 125,000 children under the age of 5 in Pakistan alone.

According to UNICEF, diarrhoea is a leading killer of children, accounting for approximately 8 per cent of all deaths among children under age 5 worldwide in 2016. This translates to over 1,300 young children dying each day, or about 480,000 children a year.²  Pediatric diarrhoea  is reported as the 2nd leading cause of death in children under 5 years of age in Pakistan, second only to pneumonia. One in every ten child dies before reaching their 5^thbirthday.  

Scott Hyman, the Senior Vice President of PanTheryx, Inc. said, “At PanTheryx, we believe that GI health is a basic right of all people, regardless of their socio-economic status, politics and we are totally dedicated to insuring that even the poorest and hardest to reach populations have access to our products.  Our partnership with Ferozsons and the launch of DiaResQ in Pakistan is a true milestone for us as we work to fulfill that mission.  As a company, they share our vision for the vast potential that nutritional interventions have to reduce the high number of deaths due to diarrhoeal disease, and to to dramatically impact the burden caused by diarrhoea improving the overall quality of life for families across Pakistan.”

DiaResQ supplements use of oral rehydration solution and zinc by providing nutrients for intestinal repair. Most children that suffer from diarrhoea in Pakistan are also reported to be malnourished. According to a study published by the British Medical Journal (BMJ), demonstrated the efficacy of DiaResQ in treating acute childhood diarrhoea caused by the most common pathogens. Ninety-six percent (96%) of the diarrhoea cases resolved with one dose of DiaResQ taken for three days – it significantly reduced fifty-six percent (56%) diarrhea episodes at day 1 of treatment as well.

Osman Khalid Waheed, the CEO of Ferozsons Laboratories Limited said, “Ferozsons is a patient-centered company committed to introducing breakthrough therapies in a number of challenging disease areas in Pakistan. We have recently started working in mother and child health with international partners like PanTheryx, Inc. and are confident that such innovations will contribute to reducing child mortality and ultimately help Pakistan achieve its Sustainable Development Goals around health.”

DiaResQ is recommended for children above 6 months of age and is currently available in across Asia and Africa in addition to the United States. For more information, please visit www.ferozsons-labs.com

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Reckitt Benckiser (RB) was invited to share their signature program on diarrhoea reduction, ‘Safai Nama’, at the South Asian Conference on Sanitation (SACOSAN) being held in Serena Hotel in Islamabad. RB Pakistan’s Safai Nama under their global “Save a Child Every Minute” campaign aims to reduce the infant mortality rate due to diarrhoea for children under the age of 5.

Safai Nama uses the seven-point plan prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF to educate and encourage rural households for better health and hygiene. The aim is to reduce deaths caused by diarrhoea by making people adopt healthier practices as part of their daily routines. This eventually helps reduce the daunting number of 53,000 children dying because of the disease every year.

SACOSAN is a government led biennial convention, held on a rotational basis in each member country which includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. This year Pakistan is hosting the conference for the second time. SACOSAN has been instrumental in generating a political will and commitment towards better sanitation and hygiene promotion in the South Asian region over a decade. It acts as a great forum for all member countries to share experiences, lessons and best-in-class examples for others to adopt and execute. RB’s Safai Nama program being implemented in partnership with the government and social sector is one of such example being shared.

“RB envisions a world where people are healthier and live better. This defines our purpose to make a difference by giving people innovative solutions for healthier lives and happier homes. ‘Save a Child Every Minute’ is providing the much-needed knowledge and awareness to the rural communities. I am very proud to present the success of this initiative in Pakistan at the SACOSAN”, stated Sandra Hennessey, Global Charity Partnerships Manager, RB.

“Safai Nama is part of our bigger national initiative, Hoga Saaf Pakistan. This specific program has been flaring quite well in partnership with the HUD & PHED department of the Punjab Government along with the social sector to educate rural communities on health and hygiene. RB Pakistan is committed to ensure a healthier, cleaner Pakistan and will keep on ensuring efforts like these to bring in sustainable change for the betterment of our country,” said Fahad Ashraf, Chief Executive RB Pakistan.