The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has welcomed the approval of the first-ever malaria treatment specifically formulated for infants, calling it a “major advance” in protecting the continent’s youngest and most vulnerable.
Zig Diaries Health News
Date: Monday, 18 August 2025
Time: 13:20 WAT
Location: 📍 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
The new treatment, Coartem Baby, is dedicated to newborns and infants
weighing less than five kilogrammes, addressing a critical gap where previously
only adjusted doses for older children were available, raising risks of
overdose and toxicity.
Africa CDC
Director General Dr. Jean Kaseya said, “The approval of the treatment is
a major step forward in the fight against malaria. It ensures that even the
smallest and most vulnerable infants now have access to safe and effective
treatment.”
Developed in
partnership between Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis and the
nonprofit Medicines for Malaria Venture, the formulation received Swiss
regulatory approval in July. Africa CDC praised the eight member states where
trials were conducted - Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Malawi,
Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda - saying their leadership
highlights Africa’s growing role in health innovation.
The
treatment is expected to roll out in the eight trial countries within weeks,
with Africa CDC working closely with national health authorities to ensure
broad access.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), malaria claimed 597,000 lives globally in 2023, almost all in Africa, with children under five accounting for 76% of deaths on the continent.
🏷Tags
Africa CDC, malaria treatment, Coartem Baby, infant health, Novartis, Medicines
for Malaria Venture, child health, WHO, Zig Diaries Health
#ZigDiariesHealth #AfricaCDC #MalariaTreatment #CoartemBaby #InfantHealth
#ChildHealth
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