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The discussion centred on whether it was to be a poster AND a flyer rather than a poster OR a flyer. We did not make an immediate decision.

The discussion as to how many pictures should be shown was drawn out. MoH officials were insisting on so much detail that any message of use would have been swamped. Eventually, we compromised in saying that it was probably necessary to have the equivalent of FHWs (Family Health Workers) explain the poster to the women, at which time, more detail could be given verbally, allowing us to minimise the number of pictures. Eventually, eleven were proposed as follows:

  1. Child sitting in a loose motion
  2. Child vomiting
  3. Child displaying signs of dehydration (sunken fontanel + inelastic skin)
  4. ORT: Water + standard measure
  5. ORT: Sugar + scoop
  6. ORT: Salt + pinch
  7. ORT: Combining all three
  8. ORT: Giving the child the home solution
  9. Continue breastfeeding
  10. Nutritious foods
  11. A healthy baby

The message of pictures 1 to 3 inclusive is the need to identify diarrhoeal dehydration. The message of pictures 4 – 7 inclusive is how to prepare the home solution; and pictures 8 – 11 inclusive are that the solution must be fed to the baby, breastfeeding must continue, nutritious foods must be given during recuperation and the result will be a healthy baby. Please note that pictures must read from right to left in the same manner as virtually all script from all indigenous languages in the area is written.

The relationship between successive pictures should clearly show that it is the same child we are watching – but to show a sunken fontanel, there must be no hair. All other pictures showed the baby with hair.

The office test is to take the pictures to an office guard or messenger or janitor and ask him/her what he/she sees in the picture. This might give an early indication of what reaction the field test is likely to show.