Linked to dirty water, poor sanitation and crowded settlements, the intestinal infection causes dehydration and is often fatal.
One child dies every two minutes from diarrhoeal diseases caused by dirty water, poor sanitation and hygiene.
The principal causes of death were linked to polluted water, poor sanitation, and smoke from wood-burning stoves.
In addition to famine and widespread food insecurity, Somalia is struggling with a cholera epidemic linked to dirty water, poor sanitation and crowded settlements.
After several days of nearly no water, poor sanitation and nights spent sleeping in the street, many had colds, infections and diarrhea.
There have been repeated riots over lack of water and electricity in Karachi, and across the country people suffer from contaminated drinking water, poor sanitation and pollution.
Scientists have yet to discover a cure, but they believe that bad water, poor diet and crops grown in mineral-deficient soil are also at least partly to blame.
Because malnutrition has several causes – poor diet, unclean water, poor sanitation, illness and poor childcare – effective co-ordination between national ministries and civil society is essential, said the FAO.
