Millions of women across rural India suffer from breast cancer, fibrocystic breast disease and complications during pregnancy. In most of these cases, it is linked to iodine deficiency. How do we ensure the women in these rural areas get the required dosage of iodine?

Almost every Indian woman wears a ‘bindi’, an Indian forehead art worn with a dot. With this in mind, Grey Group Singapore’s newly formed philanthropic arm, Grey for Good, collaborated with the NGO, Neelvasant Medical Foundation and Research Center, to produce iodine patches, known as the Life Saving Dot. This initiative is further supported by Talwar Bindi.

In a nation of 500 million women, this little dot can make all the difference between life and death. The iodine patch, worn as a bindi by the women, dispenses the daily-required amount of iodine to the wearer.

“The Neelvasant Medical Foundation and Research Center’s purpose is to help the under-privileged in society by bringing about an awareness that will help them to improve their quality of life. The Life Saving Dot is one of these brilliant missions to help the women across rural India – a simple yet effective idea,” said Dr. Prachi Pawar, president of Neelvasant Medical Foundation and Research Center.

“Iodine deficiency disorder is a major nutritional problem and the Life Saving Dot is a simple, yet
innovative preventive measure to a widespread problem in rural India. This program can easily be
extended to reach a larger population of women in India who need this vital mineral for a healthier life,” said Ali Shabaz, chief creative officer of Grey Group Singapore.

Since mid-March, the Life Saving Dot has been distributed to Badli village (near New Delhi), Niphad-rural (Maharastra), Peth-tribal (Maharastra), and Kopergaon/Sinner (Maharastra).