Pakistan is the third country after India and Nigeria in the world where annually the most number of children below the age of five lose lives to diarrhoea.This was stated by Balochistan Chief Health Officer (CHO) Habibur Rehman while addressing a ‘Health Seminar’ at Quetta’s Boys Scout Association on Monday.He was flanked by Divisional Coordinator Tahir Agha.CHO Rehman said, “The fatal rotavirus directly affects the intestine of children, which causes diarrhoea.”Sharing details of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), he said, “The provincial EPI has been battling 10 fatal diseases affecting our children.” He said that preventive measures taken by the provincial health department had stopped the viruses, including the notorious rotavirus, from spreading in Balochistan.“With 53,300 children losing their lives annually to diarrhoea, Pakistan comes in third after India and Nigeria in the world,” said the CHO. “We have included rotavirus vaccine in the provincial EPI programme in order to stop fatal diseases from spreading.”The health official said, “Parents should vaccinate their newborn till 15 months to save them from 10 fatal diseases, including polio.”He said, “The cost of getting rotavirus vaccine administered is Rs4,000, but we are providing it free of cost.”