the gender profile for deaths from diarrhoea due to poor water and sanitation is consistent across most regions more males suffer and die from diarrhoea everywhere except southeast asia where the share of female deaths and illness is notable and produces a global tilt towards higher female deaths and dalys overall table the world health organization who estimates that this is the main cause of around of child deaths worldwide wateraid a among children under five diarrhoea is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality responsible for of total deaths in this age group who walker et al