NEW DELHI - India's Health Ministry has launched a nationwide campaign to reduce child deaths due to diarrhea, officials said on Thursday.

The efforts are aimed at creating awareness among the population about the most effective and low-cost treatment, a combination of Oral Rehydration Salt solution and zinc tablets.

"The ministry has made it a national priority to bring health outcomes among children to a level equitable with the rest of the world. Through this initiative, the ministry will mobilize health personnel, state governments and other stakeholders to prioritize investment in control of diarrhea, one of the most common childhood illnesses," a Health Ministry spokesman said.

The officials said intensified community awareness campaigns on hygiene, promotion of ORS and Zinc therapy will be conducted at state, district and village levels.

Nearly 120 million children under the age of 5 would be covered during the program across India, he added.

Health officials said diarrhea can be prevented with safe drinking water, sanitation, breast-feeding, appropriate nutrition and hand-washing.

"Almost all the deaths due to diarrhea can be averted by preventing and treating dehydration by use of ORS, administration of zinc tablets along with adequate nutritional intake by the child," the spokesman said.

According to the ministry, despite a consistent decline in the infant mortality rate and under-5 mortality rate due to increased access to immunization and child healthcare services, an estimated 1.1 million children die each year in the country, with 101,000 deaths due to diarrhea.

Diarrhea is the second leading cause of death in children under 5, and is responsible for killing around 525,000 children every year. Diarrhea can last several days, and leave the body without water and salts that are necessary for survival.

Diarrhea can be caused by a variety of bacterial, viral and parasitic organisms.

The infection spreads through contaminated food or drinking water, or from person-to-person as a result of poor hygiene.

Xinhua