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A close-up of a baby receiving an oral vaccine from an adult hand, with the baby’s mouth gently opened and a dropper held near the lips.

The global impact of rotavirus vaccines

Rotavirus vaccines are a proven tool to save lives and ease the burden of diarrheal disease on families, health systems, and governments.

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A group of six children stands in front of a brick wall. They are looking at the camera with varying expressions. Some children have their hands on their hips, while one has her hand above her head. All are dressed in casual clothing. The image is monochromatic.

Three young children stand together outdoors, with one child wearing a shirt featuring illustrations. The background shows a rough building structure and draped fabric, indicating a rustic setting. The children have neutral expressions.

The Global Crisis

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

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A monochrome close-up of an infant with wide, expressive eyes, holding onto a small clear cup while lying on a blanket. The image has a grunge-style white paint effect at the bottom.

A baby with wide eyes is wrapped in a soft blanket. An adult hand is gently holding a small cup close to the baby's mouth.

The Solutions

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

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A young child, smiling brightly, runs through a foggy field. The image is in grayscale with an artistic white paintbrush effect along the bottom edge. Trees and misty landscape form the background.

A joyful child with short hair is running along a path, wearing a buttoned shirt and shorts. Trees and grass are in the background, and the image has a grayscale filter.

The Report

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

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ADVOCACY TOOLS

We bring diverse sectors together to break the poo taboo.

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A close-up of an adult hand holding a health record card, with a small child’s hand gently grasping one of the adult's fingers. The health record card has text and data entries on it. The background fabric is patterned with colorful designs.

Vaccines blaze a trail for child health

2025 marks the 25th anniversary of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, an innovative funding model through which more than one billion children in low-income countries have been vaccinated.

Child health in Kenya: opportunities and actions

Kenya’s unified policy for child health is a commitment to families and communities.

Cartoon poop with a happy face between a purple bag with female symbol holding sanitary products and a teal scale. Text reads "Sanitation uplifts girls" and "#PooGuru" on a yellow background.

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.

The Blog

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A collage of photos shows staff working on the Shigella vaccine challenge study in blue gowns and gloves smiling, working, and posing together in a laboratory or clinical setting. Some are sitting at lab benches, while others stand holding equipment.

May 12, 2025

A milestone study in Kenya paves the way for Shigella vaccine development

Human challenge studies—a type of clinical trial that involves exposing volunteers to a pathogen—have played a critical role in developing vaccines and therapies for diseases like typhoid, malaria, and cholera. Challenge studies can help speed up...

A close-up of a baby wearing a red and white hat receiving an oral rotavirus vaccine from an adult using a dropper. The baby is being gently held and the background is softly blurred.

Apr 22, 2025

How rotavirus vaccines are changing the game

Rotavirus vaccines have proven to be a cost-effective intervention that not only saves lives, but also reduces the burden on families and health systems.

A healthcare worker wearing a mask and apron administers an oral rotavirus vaccine to a baby held by a woman in a headscarf and mask to defend against disease. They are in a room with educational posters on the walls.

Mar 27, 2025

Defending against disease

We can and should defend against diseases that keep children out of school, parents out of work, and soldiers from their posts.

Mar 26, 2025

Next-gen leaders in diarrheal disease: Q&A with Brittany Feijoo

We talked to Brittany Feijoo, a research associate at Johns Hopkins, about her career path and her research on diarrheal diseases in Kenya.

A small water access point with blue walls and a sign on top, surrounded by greenery. Three yellow and green containers are placed on the ground, along with a red bowl. The background shows a clear blue sky.

Mar 19, 2025

Confronting cholera and drought in Zambia

The recent cholera outbreak in Zambia is a reminder that water security, public health, and energy supply are deeply interconnected.

A woman with long brown hair sits comfortably on a beige chair, smiling at the camera. She is wearing a dark sweater over a maroon top. The text beside her reads: "Q&A with Dr. Elizabeth Rogawski McQuade, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University.

Mar 13, 2025

Next-gen leaders in diarrheal disease: Q&A with Dr. Elizabeth McQuade

We sat down with Dr. Elizabeth Rogawski McQuade, a rising star in the diarrheal disease research space, to hear more about her work.

A group of individuals standing on a stage, each holding a booklet. They are posed in rows with a colorful backdrop displaying text related to Nigeria's National Strategic Plan of Action on Cholera Control. The scene is bright and well-lit.

Feb 13, 2025

#EndCholeraNigeria: A Journey of Multisectoral and Political Commitment

Last week, the Government of Nigeria launched its National Strategic Plan of Action on Cholera Control 2025–2029, outlining a national strategy to reduce cholera deaths in Nigeria by 90 percent by 2029.

Black and white image of a woman with short, wet hair standing in a shower, screaming with a terrified expression. The background features tiled walls.

Jan 31, 2025

Four more films that put the “act” in Action!

Back in 2015, DefeatDD published our first-ever movie review highlighting five films that imparted valuable lessons about diarrheal disease (DD). Ten years later and with Academy Awards season in full swing, we thought it the perfect time for a follo...

DefeatDD welcomes new team member: Tara Petronio

DefeatDD is kicking off 2025 with a new addition to our team. Please help us give a warm welcome to our new Communications Associate, Tara Petronio! [Holding for virtual applause.] You may have already met her indirectly: she’s jumped right in as t...

A caregiver spoons food into the mouth of a sleeping baby. The infant is cradled in the caregiver's arms, wearing a patterned shirt. The background is out of focus, featuring a chart with colorful sections.

Jan 08, 2025

How much is norovirus to blame for the global burden of childhood diarrhea?

Preventing norovirus could make a significant health and economic impact, not to mention a more pleasant holiday season.

A woman in a pink shirt smiles while holding a baby wrapped in a blanket. They are sitting on a wooden chair inside a room with posters on the walls and medical equipment in the background.

Dec 18, 2024

Time to evolve our thinking about breastfeeding

If we’re serious about boosting rates of breastfeeding, we’ll stop putting women in all-but-impossible positions.

A person in a blue apron prepares a syringe, drawing liquid from a small vial indoors. The focus is on the hands and the vial. The background is softly blurred, with a door in the distance.

Dec 04, 2024

The health and economic benefits of investing in new vaccines for diarrheal diseases

We estimate the potential economic impact of vaccines using a metric called societal net monetary benefits.

A cartoon shows a toilet wearing a superhero cape and a syringe in a mask high-fiving. Text reads "Tag Team Against Outbreaks," "Toilets and vaccines prevent diarrhea!" and hashtags #WorldToiletDay and #DefeatDD. Logos for PATH and Poo and Pee are included.

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...

The image is split into two sections: on the left, a girl with a floral headband looks through a microscope. On the right, a girl wearing glasses and a school uniform is washing her hands with soap in a bathroom.

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...

Rickshaws navigate a flooded street in an urban area, with colorful buildings and shops in the background. Pedestrians walk nearby, and a tree stands in the foreground, partially painted white and red.

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.

Illustrated image showing a diverse group of raised hands, some holding objects like a megaphone, a smartphone, and signs, set against a splash of purple paint. The scene represents activism and collective action.

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

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Illustration of multiple syringes with orange plungers and needles, set against a blue textured background. The syringes are arranged in diagonal rows, creating a patterned effect.

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

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$A bold white fraction "1/2" with a downward arrow to the left of it is printed over an orange paint splash background.$

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

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A colorful jigsaw puzzle piece is divided into four sections, each depicting a different educational element: a flip chart on a stand (top left), a periodic table symbol for zinc (Zn) (top right), an apple with a cross-section showing seeds (bottom left), and a thermometer (bottom right).

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

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