WHO warns about neglected diseases

  Countries have been called upon to intensify efforts to reduce the major causes of child deaths pointing out that pneumonia and diarrhoea remain some of the most neglected diseases. The call was made at the beginning of a four-day regional meeting, in Kigali, on child survival that attracted delegates from eight African Francophone countries, organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Statistics from WHO for the year 2008 indicate that out of 8.8 million child deaths, 1.6 million were caused by pneumonia while 1.3 million were due to diarrhea.