The Global crisis

For children in poor communities, diarrhea remains a major cause of death and can lead to long-term consequences.

The Solutions

Simple and proven tools can prevent and treat diarrhea, and integrating them achieves the greatest impact.

The Report

Read our State of the Field Report to discover how we can stop the cycle of diarrheal disease.

Advocacy Tools

We bring diverse sectors together to break the poo taboo.

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Vaccines blaze a trail for child health

2024 marks the 50th anniversary of the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), a system that works to ensure successful supply and delivery of critical vaccines to each child.

Poo Guru

Meet the Poo Guru! She is flush with facts about toilets, sanitation, and their vital role in global health. On World Toilet Day, she helped us raise awareness about global sanitation solutions. 

Child health in Kenya: opportunities and actions
Kenya’s new, unified policy for child health is a commitment to families and communities.

THE SOLUTIONS

We can save more than half a million children’s lives from diarrheal disease each year – and protect them against the long-term harm of repeated infections – with simple, inexpensive solutions that are available today. Vaccines, ORS and zinc, WASH, breastfeeding, and innovative research work best when they work together. We need greater investments in these solutions and in integrated policies to ensure holistic protection against diarrheal disease.

The Blog

Jul 10, 2024
The combination of ORS and zinc is the gold standard for diarrhea treatment. But why is ORS recommended to be combined with zinc?  
Jun 26, 2024
The DefeatDD team is comprised of word lovers. Yet you might be surprised how the worlds of language and science are intertwined. Diarrhea, for
Jun 18, 2024
Despite great progress to improve global child health, diarrhea remains the second leading killer of children under age five. Fortunately, vaccines
Jun 05, 2024
In recent months, the world has seen a rise in global cholera outbreaks. When outbreaks emerged in Kenya and Uganda, national governments looked to
Nurse speaking to patient
May 23, 2024
The alarming increase in cholera outbreaks is fueling renewed interest in novel treatment tools.
May 08, 2024
What would you do if you saw river water levels gradually rising to your doorstep? That’s what people in villages of the Cachar District in Southern
Apr 23, 2024
Sometimes we overlook the everyday tools that keep us safe and healthy. For many of us, it’s easy to overlook the impact of vaccination, which has
Indian students raising their hands in the air
Apr 17, 2024
Teacher Uttama Pal underscores the importance of children’s participation in lessons on basic hygiene and toilet use.
Apr 03, 2024
Let’s further efforts to increase fair compensation and gender equity for health workers.
Mar 27, 2024
The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding for infants to support healthy growth and development. But why is this recommended? And when
Mar 20, 2024
Deaths caused by diarrhea among children less than five years old are highest in poor communities in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, including
Mar 06, 2024
In recent months, numerous news articles have detailed global cholera outbreaks. What do we know about cholera, and why are these outbreaks so
Feb 21, 2024
Increasingly, conflict, displacement, and climate change impact access to life-saving vaccines. These factors can result in millions of children
Feb 14, 2024
Are we ready to face the heat of 2024? This continuing record-breaking average global temperature is being exacerbated. How will this influence the
Baby Vusi, here with his mother, Teresa, received the oral rotavirus vaccine during the 2012 rotavirus vaccine pilot in Lusaka Province, Zambia. In 2013, Zambia introduced the vaccine nationwide. Hear from Teresa about why she thinks all caregivers should ensure their children are vaccinated against rotavirus.
Feb 07, 2024
Rotavirus vaccines became available in 2006. How have they made an impact?

Diarrhea kills half a million children each year. Awareness is the first step to action.

Where health care is hard to reach, vaccines are the best protection against severe diarrhea.

Access to ORS and zinc could prevent more than half of diarrhea deaths.

We can save more lives from diarrhea by combining all available tools.