Pneumonia is the single largest infectious cause of death in children under 5, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia. Many children with pneumonia in these countries need to be hospitalised and often receive antibiotics by injection for a long time, meaning that they have to stay in hospital, which is costly and difficult for the children, their parents and caregivers.
What is PediCAP?
PediCAP is a 5-year project, funded by the EDCTP and sponsored by Penta. It will include children aged between 3months and 6years of age from Mozambique, Uganda, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe who have been admitted to hospital for injectable antibiotic treatment of severe/very severe pneumonia
Why is PediCAP needed?
Being in hospital also means that the children have an increased risk of picking up other infections within the hospital. The longer they take antibiotics, the more likely the bacteria is to become resistant to them. Meaning that antibiotics won’t work as well for infections in the future. PediCAP will determine the best antibiotic treatment by filling the knowledge gaps on antibiotic treatment of community-acquired pneumonia in children.
What is PediCAP’s goal?
All the children participating in PediCAP will start on WHO-recommended injectable antibiotics and when they are well enough to take drugs orally, they will move to one antibiotic called co-amoxiclav, or to another antibiotic called amoxicillin, or they will stay on injectable antibiotics. PediCAP will determine whether children on oral the oral antibiotics can continue treatment at home and fill knowledge gaps around antibiotic treatments for children with community acquired pneumonia.
