Ineffective malaria medication too common

Posted By Jordana Timerman Monday, November 2, 2009 - 11:17 AM Share

Over a million people die unnecessarily from malaria in Africa, according to a survey by ACTWatch. The group released a study of seven countries in Africa today, it found that most people in these countries are obtaining ineffective anti-malarials in the private market, due to the low availability and high prices of the far more successful Artemisinin combination therapy (ACT). ACT costs 20 times more than the older medications to which malaria has developed resistance. At about $11 it's 65 times more than the average daily wage in many of these countries.

Malaria needs to be treated with speed, explained Dr. Desmond Chavasse, speaking from the Pan-African Malaria conference being held in Nairobi. Children must receive medication within 48 hours of displaying malarial symptoms if they are to survive. This is why ACTs must get "out through the marketplace, so they are available at the end of the supply chain, in small shops, at affordable prices."

The study, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, is intended to provide baseline information for a program that will subsidize ACT medication.

TONY KARUMBA/AFP/Getty Images

EXPLORE:AFRICA, FOREIGN AID, PUBLIC HEALTH
 

JOSIE

1:17 PM ET

November 2, 2009

ineffective malaria medication

I am a medical anthropologist.
I am astounded that aid agencies have not taught people how to grow this plant, artemisia and how to make malaria medicine from it. The Chinese figured out how to do this using the herb, and not by creating an expensive commercially produced medicine out of it!

 

GRANT

5:23 PM ET

November 2, 2009

All of which serves as an

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MXCM428

3:11 AM ET

November 27, 2009

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