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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.

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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 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.

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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

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.

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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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In a rural setting, a woman weighs a baby on a hanging scale, using a bright red cloth. Several women and children dressed in traditional, colorful clothing observe the process. Lush green plants and simple structures are visible in the background.

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.

A group of five adults stands in front of a colorful balloon arch at a festive event. The arch features balloons in various shapes and colors, including flowers, stars, and swirls. All are smiling and holding props, and one person is wearing a backpack.

Jul 24, 2024

Five and Thrive!

The DefeatDD team celebrated a global health success story – more children than ever are reaching their fifth birthday!

A purple image features a periodic table element box for Zinc, symbolized as Zn with the atomic number 30. The word "DEFEATDD" is displayed in white and yellow capital letters on the right side of the image.

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?

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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...

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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:

A person wearing a mask is feeding a child in a room with medical supplies. In the foreground, there is a booklet titled "DIARRHOEA!" on a table, depicting a village scene. The room has educational posters on the wall and medical equipment scattered around.

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.

A female healthcare worker in a white coat and headscarf is talking to a patient while holding medication. In the background, other healthcare workers are assisting patients at a clinic. The setting appears busy and dedicated to patient care.

May 23, 2024

Searching for new avenues to control cholera

The alarming increase in cholera outbreaks is fueling renewed interest in novel treatment tools.

A group of women in colorful traditional clothing, some carrying bags, stand in line near a water facility. The background shows lush greenery and a white structure with signage and instructions written in a regional script. The sky is partly cloudy.

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.

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Apr 23, 2024

Have You Ever Celebrated the Contributions of Vaccinations In Your Life?

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 saved and improved countless lives.

A group of children stands in a row in front of a building with their arms raised high, smiling. The children are dressed in various outfits, including uniforms and casual clothes. The backdrop shows a wall with posters and red and white paint.

Apr 17, 2024

Building back better – bringing back the joy in schools

Teacher Uttama Pal underscores the importance of children’s participation in lessons on basic hygiene and toilet use.

Text on an orange background reads: "THANK YOU, HEALTH WORKERS" in bold white letters. The text is centered, and the background has a slight texture.

Apr 03, 2024

How do healthcare workers defeat diarrheal disease?

Let’s further efforts to increase fair compensation and gender equity for health workers.

A group of people in a laboratory setting, wearing protective gear including blue hairnets, masks, white lab coats, and gloves. One person is seated and working with lab equipment while the others stand close by, observing the process.

Mar 27, 2024

How does human milk banking help ensure child health?

The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding for infants to support healthy growth and development. But why is this recommended? And when women face barriers breastfeeding, what alternatives exist to provide nutrients to newborns?

A woman in a red sari sits on a colorful mat in a small room next to a child wearing a white top and red shorts. The child is eating, and various food items are placed on the floor near them. The room has blue walls and purple curtains.

Mar 20, 2024

In Bangladesh, WASH has significant impact in high disease burden households

Deaths caused by diarrhea among children less than five years old are highest in poor communities in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, including here in Bangladesh.

A healthcare worker in blue scrubs and red pants talks to a woman in colorful attire and a headscarf, who is seated next to a child lying on a bed in a medical tent. Other patients are seen resting on beds in the background.

Mar 06, 2024

Why do we keep seeing cholera in the news?

In recent months, numerous news articles have detailed global cholera outbreaks. What do we know about cholera, and why are these outbreaks so prevalent?

People gather near a water distribution point, carrying yellow jerry cans. The setting is a rural area with dirt ground, trees, and buildings in the background.

Feb 21, 2024

Zero-dose children are an indicator of broader inequities

Increasingly, conflict, displacement, and climate change impact access to life-saving vaccines. These factors can result in millions of children around the world not receiving immunizations, often described as “zero-dose children”.

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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