Estimating the needs for artesunate-based combination therapy for malaria case-management in Africa.

Journal article

Because of inadequacies in national health information systems, the volumes of drugs required to support an effective policy transition toward artesunate-based combination therapy (ACT) are unknown for most African countries. A series of national surveys and population projections have been used to estimate the age-structured fever burden among 41 malaria endemic countries in Africa. Under present fever-management guidelines, commodity costs and internationally agreed coverage targets, the financial resources to meet the needs of ACT in most African countries are huge. Between US$1.6 billion and US$3.4 billion per annum must be found to give Africa the chance to consider a drug policy based on ACT. Substantial reductions in these costs would be achieved through more effective targeting of resources--only 20% of drugs would be required to manage fevers among the most at-risk pediatric patient populations. Better diagnostics would also be an important consideration for a new ACT policy in Africa.

Authors: Snow, R; Eckert, E; Teklehaimanot, A

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Trends in parasitology
• Volume: 19
• Issue: 8
• Pages: 363-369
• Publication date: 2003-08-01
• DOI: 10.1016/s1471-4922(03)00168-5
• EISSN: 1471-5007
• ISSN: 1471-4922
• Language: English
• Keywords: Africa; Drug Therapy, Combination; Child; Artemisinins; Risk Factors; Sesquiterpenes; Malaria; Infant; Adolescent; Antimalarials; Humans; Drug Costs; Age Factors; Adult; Child, Preschool