About 1.5 million children under five die of diarrhoea every year. While the highest number of deaths occur in Africa, of the total 38 per cent deaths that took place in South Asia in 2004, India accounted for the highest number of deaths. This has been revealed by a new report released by the United Nations and World Health Organisation (WHO).

However, according to the report — Diarrhoea: why children are still dying and what can be done — shows a decline in the mortality rate over the past two decades from an estimated 5 million deaths among children under five to 1.5 million deaths in 2004.

Despite this drop, diarrhoea remains the second most common cause of death among children under five globally, following pneumonia, the leading killer of children.

According to the report, pneumonia and diarrhoea together account for an estimated 40 per cent of all child deaths around the world each year. Nearly one in five children die due to diarrhoea, more than that caused by AIDS, malaria and measles combined.

Among the 15 countries of South Asia, India accounts for the highest number of deaths, much above China, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

As per the report, India witnessed 3,86,600 deaths due to diarrhoea in 2004, followed by Nigeria (1,51,700 deaths) in the same period.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has reported 89,900 deaths, followed by Afghanistan (82,100), Ethiopia (73,700), Pakistan (53,300), Bangladesh (50,800) and China (40,000) in 2004.