MOZAMBIQUE: Malaria - A Race for the Cure

Mozambique is a stunning country, where people are warm and generous. But the picture isn’t so pretty in terms of health. The disease burden—exacerbated by HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria—has also led to a drop in the average life expectancy: 44 years for men—nearly half of many developed nations.

Cerebral malaria, caused by the deadly plasmodium falciparum parasite, takes an exceptional toll on children: in some regions as many as one in four will die of it. But exciting developments are underway. An experimental, but promising, malaria vaccine might be on the way. RTS,S is now in the phase III stage of testing, and 16,000 children are involved.