The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has donated US$800,000 to fund studies on the effectiveness of the pneumococcal vaccine and antimalarial treatments in Mozambique, the US government agency said..

The money will go to Mozambique's Center for Health Research in Manhiça (CISM), given that "USAID, CISM and Mozambique's Ministry of Health have collaborated to identify" ways to improve the fight against pneumonia, malaria and strengthen "maternal and child health care in Mozambique," the statement said.

USAID notes that the diseases are two of the leading causes of death in the country under the age of five.

 "CISM is one of Mozambique's leading medical research organizations and USAID has been supporting it since 2011, aiming to better understand these diseases in Mozambique," he said.

The ongoing studies, the release continues, will build on the results of previous assistance from the United States Government.

The first study concentrates on the effectiveness of antimalarial drugs and treatments, and the focus will be on understanding the resistance to antimalarial drugs by the parasite responsible for the most severe cases of malaria in Mozambique. 

The second study will focus on the impact that pneumococcal vaccine had on the rates of pneumonia, meningitis, sepsis, and other related infections in children. 

Lusa Agency