“It is a tragedy that diarrhea, which is little more than an inconvenience in the developed world, kills an estimated 1.5 million children each year,” said Ann Veneman, executive director of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF)

“Inexpensive and effective treatments for diarrhea exist, but in developing countries only 39 percent of children with diarrhoea receive the recommended treatment,” she added.

Close to 18 percent of all deaths among children under five are due to diarrhea, largely caused by contaminated water and infections, said Olivier Fontaine, the World Health Organization's expert on children's health.