title: Global challenges in acute diarrhea.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Childhood diarrhea is the most common cause of morbidity and mortality, especially in the low and middle-income countries. The burden of child mortality because of diarrhea has declined, but still a lot is desired not only to reduce diarrhea-specific mortality but reduce the overall incidence, and hence the morbidity associated with childhood diarrhea.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A recent Lancet series on diarrhea suggests that amplification of the current interventions can eliminate virtually all preventable diarrhea deaths. A refocused attention and strategy and collective effort from the multilateral entities to promote water sanitation and hygiene, rotavirus vaccination, nutrition, and improved case management can bridge gaps and tackle the existing undue burden of deaths because of diarrhea.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Investment toward preventing and controlling childhood diarrhea should be a priority, especially when the existing solution is plausible for implementation at scale and in underprivileged settings.
authors.affiliation: aDivision of Women and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan bCentre for Global Child Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Jai K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Zulfiqar A
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Bhutta
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000276:immunology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003681:Dehydration / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003906:Developing Countries; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006292:Health Priorities; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D007223:Infant; D011204:Poverty Areas; D015532:Rehydration Solutions / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D022243:Rotavirus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012499:Sanitation / Q000592:standards; D014881:Water Supply / Q000592:standards*
chemical_list: D015532:Rehydration Solutions; D022243:Rotavirus Vaccines; C113153:rotavirus vaccine 89-12