Table 1.

Kenyan Ministry of Health (MoH) guidelines for management of children aged 2–59 months with cough and/or difficulty breathing (for a child without stridor, severe malnutrition or signs of meningitis)

Syndrome	Clinical signs	Recommended antibiotic treatment
Non-severe pneumonia	Fast breathing (RR ≥50/min if age 2–11 months; ≥40/min if age 12–59 months) AND without signs of severe or VSP	Outpatient treatment  Co-trimoxazole (or amoxicillin if child has HIV and is receiving Co-trimoxazole prophylaxis)
Severe pneumonia	Indrawing  AND without signs of VSP	Inpatient treatment  Benzyl penicillin/ampicillin monotherapy (if HIV-exposed, treat as VSP)
VSP	Any one of: Cyanosis, grunting (infants), SPO2 <90%, inability to drink, altered consciousness	Inpatient treatment Benzyl penicillin/ampicillin and gentamicin (plus high dose co-trimoxazole for all HIV-exposed)

VSP, very severe pneumonia.