Doctors of the World is telling people to "make a child cry" as part of a new global campaign.

The idea, which was conceived by DDB Paris, is meant to shock people with teaser ads containing the seemingly callous command before revealing bigger picture ads that communicate the campaign’s true message – it’s better to see a child cry during medical treatment than die from a preventable disease.

Doctors of the World claims four million children across the world die from preventable diseases every year.

The print and social media ads are backed by a TV spot, which is already running online, and will air in Germany, Argentina, Canada, Spain, Greece, Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland and the UK, as well as France.

The film opens on crying children before panning out to show that they are in tears because they are receiving vaccinations and other treatments.

The spot ends with a call to donate at makeachildcry.com. The scenes were shot using actors.