Africa’s Future Is Our Most Precious Asset
Protecting that future is not an intention. It is a decision made today about vaccination, nutrition, and access to paediatric healthcare.
What the numbers tell us
In Sub-Saharan Africa, 71.6 children per 1,000 live births die before reaching the age of five, nearly 14 times the rate in Europe and North America, according to the WHO (2024). In most cases, the causes are prematurity, pneumonia, diarrhoea, and malaria. Preventable diseases. Treatable diseases.
Vaccination: protection that has not yet reached everyone
Vaccination prevents between two and three million deaths every year. Yet only 54.1% of children in Sub-Saharan Africa receive the full schedule of basic vaccinations.
In Mozambique, the number of unvaccinated children increased from 97,000 in 2019 to 750,000 in 2023, driven by Cyclone Freddy, the COVID-19 pandemic, and outbreaks of cholera and polio, according to Gavi. The country responded with nationwide immunisation campaigns in 2024 and 2025, including the introduction of the malaria vaccine into the routine immunisation schedule in August 2024.
Every missed dose is a window of vulnerability that no family should leave open.
Nutrition: the silent factor
More than 62 million children under the age of five suffer from stunting in Sub-Saharan Africa (UNICEF/WHO/World Bank, 2024). It is the only region in the world where this number has not declined since 2000.
Stunting is not only a physical growth issue. It affects cognitive development, educational performance, and productivity in adulthood. UNICEF estimates that every dollar invested in preventing stunting generates up to 48 dollars in economic returns.
What every family can do today
Check vaccination records. Learn to recognise signs of paediatric emergencies, persistent fever, rapid breathing, signs of dehydration, and lethargy. And ensure access to healthcare without financial barriers.
These three actions can change the outcome of situations that, without timely intervention, may become irreversible
Through its nationwide network of healthcare providers, Mediplus is present across the country to ensure that no Mozambican family has to choose between caring for their children and maintaining household financial stability.
Discover Mediplus Family Plans
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