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.
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.
Child health in Kenya: opportunities and actions
Kenya’s unified policy for child health is a commitment to families and communities.
Nov 15, 2024
We can defeat diarrhea outbreaks if we prepare for them
We get it. Things feel heavy right now. Heartbreaking conflict. Record-breaking heat. Economic hardship. In enduring these things, children suffer the most: according to UNICEF, diarrhea kills more children in conflict settings than violence. Climate...
Oct 15, 2024
Why do we wash our hands with soap and water?
” After seeing the germs, handwashing has become fun for me. ” – Irina Naher Raduga, 9, Bangladesh. Photo: PATH/Maksudur Rahman My wife and I always remind our daughter to wash her hands throughout the day, especially after playing with...
Oct 09, 2024
What can neighbor countries do to prevent diarrheal diseases caused by floods?
As there is no such thing as national borders in nature, countries must look beyond these jurisdictions to prepare for flooding and manage the risk of diarrheal diseases.
Sep 24, 2024
Drug resistant diarrheal disease: a journey
Drug resistance is a major global health challenge, and it continues to worsen. A problem with many causes, rising drug resistance has placed an increasing burden on global health and children are among those shouldering the consequences. How th...
Sep 18, 2024
Drug resistance: what is it and what can we do
School pupils Ashley and Liz stop on their way from school to drink and wash their faces with water from an aquifer that serves the domestic water needs for several homesteads at a rural village in Kenya. Sources for clean drinking water are essentia...
Sep 04, 2024
What does nutrition have to do with diarrhea?
We all know that the food we eat impacts our health: good, nutritious foods mean a strong and healthy body. But there is more to it – nutrition plays a vital role in child health and impacts the risk of diarrheal disease. Diarrhea is one ...
Aug 27, 2024
Preventing the cycle of monsoon floods and cholera through vaccines and safe water
The summer monsoon season in Asia, known for heavy rainfall that often leads to flooding, has reached new heights in countries like India, Nepal, and Bangladesh. These floods contribute to the outbreak of diarrheal diseases. ...
Aug 07, 2024
Unintended consequences: When hygiene programs burden women
Primary care in a Kaqchikel Maya community in rural Guatemala, checking monthly growth of infants.
Jul 24, 2024
Five and Thrive!
The DefeatDD team celebrated a global health success story – more children than ever are reaching their fifth birthday!
Jul 10, 2024
Zinc: a simple, underutilized treatment for diarrhea
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
Plumbing the depths of diarrhea etymology
The DefeatDD team is comprised of word lovers. Yet you might be surprised how the worlds of language and science are intertwined. Diarrhea, for example, can be traced to the Greek diárrhoia, meaning to flow through...
Jun 18, 2024
Diarrheal disease vaccines: what do we know?
Despite great progress to improve global child health, diarrhea remains the second leading killer of children under age five. Fortunately, vaccines are available or on the way for some of the top causes of diarrhea:
Jun 05, 2024
Collaboration and dissemination essential to cholera control strategy development
In recent months, the world has seen a rise in global cholera outbreaks. When outbreaks emerged in Kenya and Uganda, national governments looked to PATH for support in mitigating risk to communities.
May 23, 2024
Searching for new avenues to control cholera
The alarming increase in cholera outbreaks is fueling renewed interest in novel treatment tools.
May 08, 2024
Preparing for safe drinking water during natural disasters
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 Assam, India, vividly remember.