28 January 2008
A new drug to treat uncomplicated malaria was launched in Gambia last week.
The drug called Coartem (atenisinin combination therapy) was developed after studies revealed that levels of resistance to chloroquine (CQ) were exceeding standards recommended by the World Health Organisation.
Secretary of state for health and social welfare, Dr Malick Njie, told Forayaa newspaper: "The spread of anti-malarial drug resistance is one of the challenges facing effective malaria control in the world."
He also added that effective mechanisms to monitor parasite resistance to the new drug had been put in place.
The national malaria control programme manager, Mr. Malang Fofana, told Foroyaa: "The launch marks a major turning point in the history of malaria control and prevention in the Gambia."
However, Mrs. Janneh Kaira, chief pharmacist for the National Pharmaceutical Services informed the Daily Observer that the medicine should be used rationally to delay resistance.
Meanwhile, director of medical services, Dr Tamsir Mbowe, added: "We should all continue to work as a team and combine all the preventive and control measures in the fight against malaria."
