DIARRHOEA is considered one of the most deadly diseases in the world. According to a report by Dr Zulfiqar Bhutta, more than 350,000 children die annually of diarrhoea in Pakistan before reaching their fifth birthday.

The main cause of diarrhoea is poor quality of water, sanitation and hygiene. Out of 1,000 live births, nearly 104 children die before reaching their third birthday.

Diarrhoea is very dangerous but it can be prevented easily through improving water, sanitation, hygiene failures and access to health services.

According to a research, people in Pakistan waste a huge amount of money for preventing diarrhoea, but they meet with little success. It is proven that diarrhoea can easily be prevented through proper hand washing with soap. The government should launch a countrywide campaign and the media should highlight how to be protected from diarrhoea. Through this measure the cases of diarrhoea will decrease automatically and fewer people will suffer from this fatal but preventable disease.

Farhan Ansari
Lahore

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2019