WHO indentifies new research priorities

Following consultations with global experts, the World Health Organization says it has identified priorities for research, the first  of which is childhood diarrhea. Nearly two million children die from  diarrhea every year and if this is not addressed urgently, the countries  will fail to achieve the fourth Millennium Development Goal target,  which is to reduce child deaths by two-thirds by 2015, warns the WHO.

Despite the persistently high burden of disease, research into childhood  diarrhea has been steadily decreasing since the 1980s, it points out.  Funds available for investigations into this are less than those for  other diseases that cause fewer deaths.