Kenya Replaces Sulphur-Based Drugs With ACTs To Treat Malaria

The Kenyan government as the first-line treatment for malaria has begun using artemisinin-based combination therapies instead of sulphur-based drugs, the health ministry said Saturday, Xinhua News Agency reports. Kenya over the past two years has been using sulphur-based drugs, such as metakelfin and fansidar, to treat malaria, but the malaria parasite has become resistant to the drugs, James Nyikal, director of medical services at the country's Ministry of Health, said (Xinhua News Agency, 7/29). The ACTs over the next three months will be dispensed at no cost at public health centers in 16 districts prone to malaria and will benefit about 10.5 million people annually. The Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is providing $34 million over five years to help roll out the ACTs in Kenya. The funding enables the Kenyan government to procure the drugs at $2.40 per adult dose and $0.90 per pediatric dose, Willis Akhwale, head of the Malaria Control Program, said (IRIN News/AllAfrica.com, 7/28). The government plans to distribute Novartis' ACT Coartem. In addition, the government plans to spend roughly $21 million to buy the drugs and about $2 million to train at least 10,000 health workers in effective malaria diagnosis, according to Xinhua News Agency (Xinhua News Agency, 7/29). Akhwale said sulphur-based malaria treatment will continue to be used to treat pregnant women with malaria. He also said that treatment will be used alongside other malaria control strategies, such as the distribution of insecticide-treated nets and indoor insecticide spraying (IRIN News/AllAfrica.com, 7/28). Malaria accounts for 25% of deaths in children under five in Kenya as well as 30% of outpatient hospital visits and 19% of hospital admissions, according to Xinhua News Agency (Xinhua News Agency, 7/29).