Two hundred thousand lives a year could be saved by using more effective malaria drugs.
Quinine is an ancient drug, first used against malaria in the 17th Century. It is still routinely used to treat severe malaria. However, it is now time to replace it with a more effective and safer drug – artesunate.
Malaria treatment
This week, the World Health Organization (WHO) revised its guidelines for treating severe malaria, following results of a landmark trial late last year which showed that the use of artesunate for the treatment of severe malaria in children reduces deaths by nearly a quarter compared to quinine.
MSF now wants international donors to provide clear support so that ministries of health in African countries can change the drugs they use.
Child deaths
Severe malaria is a very serious medical condition that can quickly prove fatal, especially in children.
World-wide, 2000 people die of severe malaria every day, mainly children in Africa.
“Malaria is the most common disease we see in children – they have high fever, convulsions, vomiting and are at risk of falling into coma," explains Veronique de Clerk, currently working for MSF in Uganda.
Better treatment
Quinine treatment is painful and complex to administer – too much and the patient’s blood pressure drops, too little and the disease is not affected.
Artesunate, by comparison, can be administered in just three or four minutes, is safe for malnourished children and pregnant women, and has far fewer side effects.
Countries in Southeastern Asia have already switched to artesunate for the treatment of severe malaria – now is the time for African governments to follow the recently revised WHO advice and switch too.
The initially increased cost of treatment – artesunate is slightly more expensive than quinine on a unit basis – is quickly recouped by shorter stays in hospital.
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