a simple solution

i read this in TIME and here is the gist of the cover story.

Diarrhea kills more young children around the world that malaria, AIDS and TB combined. Yet a simple solution - a fistful of sugar + a pinch of salt + a jug of water - can prevent many of those deaths. Why isn't it more widely used?

Many tiny patients in Bangladesh are weak, malnourished and dehydrated. They've suffered attack after attack of diarrhea and, in some cases, are clinging to life. Five-month-old Sohag had suffered diarrhea for seven days before she was admitted. Her weight plummetted to 2.75kg, just over one-third of that expected of her age. But her 15-year-old mother had never heard of diarrhea before Sohag was admitted.

Chronic diarrhea is the cause of 5000 young lives daily. Most cases of diarrhea can be traced to food or water tainted by intestinal bugs and rotavirus. Many children die from dehydration as they lose critical body fluids faster than they can be replaced. As in Sohag's case, many do not know how to prepare a life-saving remedy that can be assembled for just a few pennies.

While diarrhea is a major killer in developing countries, in the rich world it is usually no more than an irritant. SO developed nations channel health-care funds into areas preceived as presenting greater risks. Antiviral drugs are purchased and vaccines are ordered to guard against the potential threat from avian influenza instead of getting packages of rehydration solution costing just 6 cents a littler to those at risk of dying from diarrhea elsewhere. But far more children die from diarrhea daily then have ever died from avian flu.

Diseases that have high profiles and vocal activists - such as AIDS, TB and malaria - attract far more interest and money from big donors and governments, based partly on the misconception that they kill the most children. Celebs don't host concerts to fight diarrhea. WHO spent $7-10 million on controlling diarrheal diseases, but spent $217 million on HIV and $123 million on TB.

it's about time someone do something about this. Ben always say "charity begins at home", but we have a simple solution here, now, what are we waiting for?