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Zinc – the new and affordable way to effectively fight diarrhea
For most people, zinc is known as a metallic chemical element or essential trace element in the human body. Something that has been the focus of research groups has now caught the attention of the public, politicians and NGOs. Zinc is the one element proven to help prevent and effectively cure diarrhea in children.
Unlike diseases like HIV or Malaria, Diarrhea has not drawn much attention from organizations or governments. However, annually, in poor countries more children die from Diarrhea than from AIDS. According to the WHO, 1.6 million children don't survive to their 5th year due to diarrhea. NGOs like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have started to include zinc distribution in their aid programs.
The WHO/UNICEF recommendation for children with acute diarrhea is a daily dose of 20mg of zinc for 10-14 days. The treatment costs less than USD 0.30, (30 cents), making it affordable even to poor families.
While the exact mechanism behind zinc's positive effect in limiting disease duration and stool output is still unclear, it is believed that zinc supports the body's immune system by activating enzymes.
The proper administration of Zinc is an affordable treatment that gives hope to keep millions of children from a suffering death caused by diarrhea. |
