PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Carla Chan Unger
AU  - Shumona Sharmin Salam
AU  - Md Shafiqul Alam Sarker
AU  - Robert Black
AU  - Alejandro Cravioto
AU  - Shams El Arifeen
TI  - Treating diarrhoeal disease in children under five: the global picture
AID  - 10.1136/archdischild-2013-304765
DP  - 2014 Mar 01
TA  - Archives of Disease in Childhood
PG  - 273--278
VI  - 99
IP  - 3
4099  - http://adc.bmj.com/content/99/3/273.short
4100  - http://adc.bmj.com/content/99/3/273.full
SO  - Arch Dis Child2014 Mar 01; 99
AB  - Rates of childhood mortality due to diarrhoea remain unacceptably high and call for renewed global focus and commitment. Affordable, simple and effective diarrhoeal treatments have already been available for many years, yet a shift in international health priorities has seen coverage of recommended treatments slow to a near-standstill since 1995. This article reviews coverage of recommended childhood diarrhoeal treatments (low-osmolarity oral rehydration solution (ORS) and zinc), globally and regionally, and provides an overview of the major barriers to wide-scale coverage. It is argued that to ensure smooth supply and equitable distribution of ORS and zinc, adequate financing, relevant policy changes, strong public, private and non-government organisation (NGO) collaboration, local manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, mass media awareness and campaigning, in conjunction with strong government support, are necessary for successful treatment scale-up.