Reducing incidence of childhood diarrhoea

Reducing deaths from childhood diarrhoea

Description

Reducing the incidence of childhood diarrhoea involves implementing practical measures such as improving access to clean water, promoting handwashing with soap, ensuring safe food preparation, and increasing the use of oral rehydration solutions and zinc supplementation. These actions directly address the primary causes of diarrhoeal disease, prevent dehydration, and reduce mortality. Community education and vaccination against rotavirus further strengthen prevention, aiming to protect children’s health and decrease the overall burden of diarrhoeal illness.

Implementation

This strategy features in the framework of Agenda 21 as formulated at UNCED (Rio de Janeiro, 1992), now coordinated by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development and implemented through national and local authorities. The aim is to reduce the incidence of childhood diarrhoea in developing countries by at least 25 to 50% by the year 2000.