Diarrhoeal Diseases as a Significant Cause of Childhood Morbidity and Mortality

TLDR

• Tanzania has launched a clinical trial to reduce childhood diarrhoeal diseases by testing probiotics alongside the rotavirus vaccine.
• The PRORota Clinical Trial was launched in Dar es Salaam by Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) in collaboration with the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) and international partners.
• The trial aims to assess if probiotics can improve the effectiveness of the rotavirus vaccine and reduce antibiotic use among children.
• Researchers from Tanzania, Norway, Malawi, and Ivory Coast are involved in the study, which is supported by the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP).
• Deputy Permanent Secretary Prof Tumaini Nagu highlighted the importance of the trial in addressing infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance (AMR).