Geneva - Diarrheal diseases, responsible for about 20 per cent of child deaths worldwide, are on the rise, the International Federation of Red Cross Societies warned Tuesday.

The organization's statistics showed that in the last two years, national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies have requested 35 per cent more emergency aid to help treat occurrences of acute diarrheal illnesses than in 2006. These illnesses were related to outbreaks of diseases such as cholera.

An expert with the IFRC said in a statement that medical workers maybe "losing the battle."

"This is especially true in countries affected by extreme poverty and conflict, where diarrheal diseases have become endemic," said Uli Jaspers, who heads the organization's water and sanitation team.

A key method of lowering deaths related to diarrhea is simply access to clean drinking water, aid organizations said.

According to the World Health Organization, nearly two million children die from diarrhoea each year. The cost of saving lives would be about 0.30 dollars for treating a child with salts and zinc tablets.

"The great challenge we now face is how to reach all children who are still suffering and dying from diarrhoea," the WHO said recently.

Research was being conducted to determine how to reach those who do not yet have access to the cheap and simple life-saving formula, but the UN's health group warned a lack of funding could impede the study's progress. (dpa)