Safer beginnings for every child

In a rural clinic in Malawi, a young mother sits with her newborn. The baby is only days old, fragile, and vulnerable to infection. The mother listens carefully as a nurse explains that vaccines given during pregnancy can help protect the baby in its first weeks of life. 

As newborns have underdeveloped immune systems, many deaths are caused by infections. Vaccination of pregnant women offers a way to protect the babies' health, since maternal antibodies can cross the placenta and enter the foetal bloodstream. 

For many mothers, this protection is reassuring. For many babies, it's life-changing. 

This is an example of what the Global Health EDCTP3-funded PROTECT project is enabling, not only in Malawi, but also in Kenya, Mozambique and Uganda. 

Safety first: vaccines for two lives 

The PROTECT project is creating a network of surveillance sites in East Africa to track the safety of maternal vaccines. The project uses electronic health records, strengthens surveillance, and engages communities to build trust in vaccination. Its goal is simple: ensure vaccines are safe for both mothers and newborns. 

By improving vaccines’ safety, the project will accelerate the development and evaluation of group B streptococcal (GBS) and other maternal vaccines, helping to protect mothers and newborns from severe bacterial infections that currently kill hundreds of thousands of babies a year.  

United for the youngest patients 

PROTECT is only one part of a much larger effort. 40 Global Health EDCTP3-funded projects are currently addressing the health needs of children under ten years old. Together they represent €181.4 million in investment, with 188 partners from 45 countries. Universities, research institutes, companies, foundations, and public health bodies all play a role. Each contributes knowledge and capacity to protecting children. 

Safe care for every newborn and every child 

On 17 September 2025, the world marks World Patient Safety Day. The theme for 2025 is clear: Safe care for every newborn and every child.  Global Health EDCTP3-funded projects such as PROTECT demonstrate how collaboration and science can bring us closer to this goal.