TravelBanter

TravelBanter (http://www.travelbanter.com/index.php)
-   Africa (http://www.travelbanter.com/forumdisplay.php?f=5)
-   -   New Malaria Treatment Drugs in Kenya (http://www.travelbanter.com/showthread.php?t=635)

Pat Anderson April 24th, 2004 11:09 AM

New Malaria Treatment Drugs in Kenya
 
Unicef joins Kenya in war on malaria
Story by NATION Correspondent
Publication Date: 04/24/2004

A UN agency will support the Government's efforts to introduce more
powerful drugs to fight malaria.

Unicef country representative Heino Laakkonen said his organisation
would stockpile more powerful drugs following the change in the malaria
treatment policy.

Malaria kills about 34,000 children aged under five every year.

Speaking during the Africa Malaria Day in Kimbimbi sub-district
hospital, Kirinyaga District, yesterday, Health minister Charity Ngilu
announced that the Government had replaced Sulphadoxine Pyrimethaine
drugs with the more powerful artemisinin-class combination therapy also
known as ACT.

Kenya would now adopt artemether/lumefantrine (brand name Coartem) as
the first line malaria treatment drug. It is manufactured by the
Swiss-based Norvatis Pharma.

Yesterday, Mr Laakkonen said: "Once funds are available, Unicef will
stockpile this drug for use in emergency situations as the country makes
the transition to this drug for routine use."

The move to change the country's malaria treatment policy comes after
failure of Sulphadoxine Pyrimethaine -based drugs to effectively treat
the disease.

Sulpha-based drugs such as Metakelfin, Orodar and Fansidar were
introduced as the first line treatment drugs barely four years ago to
replace choloroquine-based ones.

In the transition period, Amodiaquin could be administered to the public
as the second line treatment.

By changing the policy, Kenya has joined South Africa, Burundi, Zanzibar
and Zambia, among other countries, which have adopted ACT in the
treatment.

The disease mainly affects children under five and pregnant women.

At the same time, more than 16,000 pregnant women are likely to develop
severe anaemia, while 25,000 may deliver low birth weight babies due to
the disease.

This year's Africa Malaria Day had the theme: "A malaria free future".

According to a press statement, Unicef recently contributed supplies
worth Sh31 million towards malaria intervention in Kenya.

"This includes 98,000 insecticide treatment bednets and other supplies
for use in malaria endemic areas,".

Meanwhile, three organisations yesterday signed a collaborative
agreement to develop a new fixed dose ACT, combining chlorproguanil,
dapsone and artesunate (CDA) for the treatment of malaria.

The agreement was signed by pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline,
Medicines for Malaria Venture and the World Health Organisation's
special programme for research and training in tropical diseases
(WHO-TDR).

According to a statement, the development of CDA responds to the WHO's
Roll Back Malaria Initiative recommendations for national malaria
control programmes to use artemisinin-based combination therapy as the
preferred treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria


-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------
The Artemesinin based drugs as a treatment for malaria, particularly in
East Africa, has been discussed on this NG before but the above report
shows that it has now become necessary to use them in place of other
drugs.
I have spoken to residents of Kenya who have had success with these
drugs for some time now.
Pat













--
Pat Anderson

[email protected] July 2nd, 2012 01:05 PM

New Malaria Treatment Drugs in Kenya
 
On Saturday, April 24, 2004 3:39:37 PM UTC+5:30, Pat Anderson wrote:
Unicef joins Kenya in war on malaria
Story by NATION Correspondent
Publication Date: 04/24/2004

A UN agency will support the Government's efforts to introduce more
powerful drugs to fight malaria.

Unicef country representative Heino Laakkonen said his organisation
would stockpile more powerful drugs following the change in the malaria
treatment policy.

Malaria kills about 34,000 children aged under five every year.

Speaking during the Africa Malaria Day in Kimbimbi sub-district
hospital, Kirinyaga District, yesterday, Health minister Charity Ngilu
announced that the Government had replaced Sulphadoxine Pyrimethaine
drugs with the more powerful artemisinin-class combination therapy also
known as ACT.

Kenya would now adopt artemether/lumefantrine (brand name Coartem) as
the first line malaria treatment drug. It is manufactured by the
Swiss-based Norvatis Pharma.

Yesterday, Mr Laakkonen said: "Once funds are available, Unicef will
stockpile this drug for use in emergency situations as the country makes
the transition to this drug for routine use."

The move to change the country's malaria treatment policy comes after
failure of Sulphadoxine Pyrimethaine -based drugs to effectively treat
the disease.

Sulpha-based drugs such as Metakelfin, Orodar and Fansidar were
introduced as the first line treatment drugs barely four years ago to
replace choloroquine-based ones.

In the transition period, Amodiaquin could be administered to the public
as the second line treatment.

By changing the policy, Kenya has joined South Africa, Burundi, Zanzibar
and Zambia, among other countries, which have adopted ACT in the
treatment.

The disease mainly affects children under five and pregnant women.

At the same time, more than 16,000 pregnant women are likely to develop
severe anaemia, while 25,000 may deliver low birth weight babies due to
the disease.

This year's Africa Malaria Day had the theme: "A malaria free future".

According to a press statement, Unicef recently contributed supplies
worth Sh31 million towards malaria intervention in Kenya.

"This includes 98,000 insecticide treatment bednets and other supplies
for use in malaria endemic areas,".

Meanwhile, three organisations yesterday signed a collaborative
agreement to develop a new fixed dose ACT, combining chlorproguanil,
dapsone and artesunate (CDA) for the treatment of malaria.

The agreement was signed by pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline,
Medicines for Malaria Venture and the World Health Organisation's
special programme for research and training in tropical diseases
(WHO-TDR).

According to a statement, the development of CDA responds to the WHO's
Roll Back Malaria Initiative recommendations for national malaria
control programmes to use artemisinin-based combination therapy as the
preferred treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria


-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------
The Artemesinin based drugs as a treatment for malaria, particularly in
East Africa, has been discussed on this NG before but the above report
shows that it has now become necessary to use them in place of other
drugs.
I have spoken to residents of Kenya who have had success with these
drugs for some time now.
Pat













--
Pat Anderson




Malaria is treated with antimalarial drugs and measures to control symptoms, including medications to control fever, antiseizure medications when needed, fluids and electrolytes.


View more about treatment of malaria at - http://www.onlymyhealth.com/what-tre...ia-12977611766


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 10:11 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
TravelBanter.com