New Delhi, Dec 19 (NationPress) According to a recent global report featured in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal on Thursday, India has witnessed a remarkable decline in the death rates of children under five due to diarrhoeal diseases from 1990 to 2021.
The study, which analyzed data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) across 204 nations, indicates that the nation has also recorded fewer instances of premature mortality and disability among children caused by diarrhoea during this timeframe.
Research conducted by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington revealed that in 1990, approximately 147 deaths per 100,000 children under five were reported in India. This figure fell to over 38 deaths per 100,000 in 2019, and further down to more than 35 deaths per 100,000 in 2021.
The death rates for diarrhoeal diseases in 2021 ranged from 25 to 50 per 100,000 in males, while in females, the rates were between 50 and 100 per 100,000.
Countries like India, Nigeria, and Pakistan saw substantial improvements due to their large populations, including a reduction in disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) linked to diarrhoeal diseases.
For India, the number of DALYs decreased from 16·8 million (12·0-24·2) to 2·11 million (0·644-4·56); Nigeria's figures dropped from 10·1 million (6·93-13·9) to 164,000 (0-452,000), while Pakistan saw a reduction from 2·47 million (1·83-3·39) to 152,000 (35,600-363,000), as noted in the report.
The study identified various pathogens responsible for diarrhoeal mortality and disability in India, including adenovirus, aeromonas, campylobacter, cholera, clostridium difficile, cryptosporidium, norovirus, rotavirus, salmonella, and shigella.
On a global scale, the report highlighted a 60% decrease in deaths caused by diarrheal diseases. Nonetheless, it noted that children and the elderly, especially in regions like sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, continue to experience the highest mortality rates.
Dr. Hmwe Hmwe Kyu, a study author and associate professor at IHME, stated, “Despite the promising advancements made in reducing diarrheal mortality, a comprehensive approach is essential to implement life-saving measures while also focusing on preventive strategies to ease the burden on health systems.”
In 2021, diarrhoeal diseases were responsible for 1.2 million deaths worldwide, a notable reduction from 2.9 million deaths recorded in 1990. The most significant decline was observed among children under five, with a 79% reduction; however, this age group still faces the highest mortality rates across all age categories, followed by individuals aged 70 and older, making it a prominent cause of death for all ages.
In South Asia, the mortality rate for individuals aged 70 and older was reported at 476 deaths per 100,000.
Key risk factors contributing to diarrhoeal DALYs include inadequate neonatal care such as low birthweight and preterm birth, growth failure in children, unsafe drinking water, and poor sanitation practices, as reported by the research team.
The observed decline in diarrheal mortality and morbidity suggests that health strategies such as oral rehydration therapy, improved water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure, along with global vaccination efforts against rotavirus, are proving effective.
The study further advocated for the increased adoption of WHO-recommended rotavirus vaccines and emphasized the necessity for advancing vaccine research to target specific pathogens that lead to diarrhoeal diseases.
