RB launches Season six of Dettol BSI initiative with focus on ‘Swasth’

The campaign from Banega Swachh to Banega Swasth India, is supported by Amitabh Bachchan with actor unveiling ‘The Swasth Box’

RB, a consumer health and hygiene company, recently launched Season six of its flagship Dettol BSI initiative with a focus on ‘Swasth’ this time. The transition from Banega Swachh to Banega Swasth India, is supported by campaign ambassador, Amitabh Bachchan with the veteran actor unveiling ‘The Swasth Box’ along with dignitaries from RB and health experts from across the country today. This kit/box will have various things ranging from hand sanitiser, bath soap, Dettol wipes, baby blanket, sanitary pads, mosquito nets, nail cutter, zinc, ORS, iodine, cotton roll, baby wrap, small sustainable toy for the kid and hypothermia care kit. The kit is further supported by Pehel and Smile Foundation.

In the course of the introductory launch, held at the Jamnabai Narsee School, Vile Parle (West), a call to action urged the supportive audience to contribute to the Swasth Box. This box will be curated specifically for post-natal care and will be given to mothers across the country, helping them to improve the chances of their babies surviving. Through this initiative the aim will be to give out the Swasth Box to every mother and child who needs one as the first 1000 days are very critical for driving the survival rate for both mother and child. Amitabh Bachchan and Sanjeev Kapoor pledged to donate 100 boxes each, while RB promised to match the total number of boxes that will be raised through this initiative in equal numbers. The whole programme is largely focussed on prevention from disease and promotion of good health.

This year onwards, the focus would be to drive the health agenda of India given there is nothing more precious to human life than good health. The new phase will focus on a healthier and happier India by driving attention towards the well-being of mothers and children. There are several pathways to health — nutrition, breastfeeding, handwashing and sanitation. This year, BSI will focus on getting these pillars to converge which will lead to better health of the children and mothers and therefore lesser burden of disease.

Gaurav Jain, Senior Vice President, AMESA, RB Health commented “Our journey towards Swachhta started five years ago with a great vision that brought Dettol Banega Swachh India to life. The programme’s conscious effort to drive behaviour change across communities has encouraged people to adopt better health practices and we are extremely proud of what we have been able to achieve together. To be able to drive lndia’s health agenda further, it is imperative for us to focus on another significant factor – Swastha. Given health today is more than an absence of illness – being healthy also means being fit and happy. The upcoming year will witness special attention on child nutrition and pregnant mothers that form the backbone of our future generations. This year the programme is further complementing Govt’s initiative, Ayushmann Bharat.”

Ravi Bhatnagar, Director External Affairs and Partnerships, RB Health AMESA said “The first 1,000 days for a new born are very crucial for his/her neuro development and lifelong mental health. Making provisions for adequate nutrients through breastfeeding and healthy eating during this crucial time affects the long-term health and therefore, our focus going forward will be on the well-being of new mothers and children.”

Also speaking at the event Dr Prannoy Roy, Co-founder and Executive Co-Chairperson, NDTV said, “The deadline for India to become open defecation free is October 2, 2019 which is the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. It was Gandhiji’s dream that the quality of life of every Indian should improve with sanitation, cleanliness and hygiene as its foundation. Along with the elimination of open defecation we are also working towards a country where our infants and most vulnerable citizens stay healthy. If we all come together we can achieve this. Please do join us in this campaign to ensure that our country is clean and healthy for our future generations.”

While the transition from Swachh to Swasth took place, RB will continue to take the cleanliness agenda forward as well. Clean India will ensure a healthy India and hence, the efforts of ensuring a hygienic environment will take place to take ODF to ODF plus. Water conservation will also be a pivotal agenda to drive under which five lakh schools will be focussing on:

• Water Index in the school curriculum: Inclusion of a chapter on water, saving and conserving.
• Water Exchange: Kids who are saving the water will get vouchers from 100 plus companies so that these kids feel motivated and encouraged.
• In the first year of the programme we commit that we will be reaching through the water conserving programme to around one crore kids.

In addition to this, the World Toilet College is operational in Rishikesh and Aurangabad and witnessed 100 per cent placement rates. People have been trained and have got jobs in private companies as well as the municipal corporations. Women trained in WTC, Rishikesh, have sought jobs under the NREGA scheme of the Government.