Anthony Bugembe
9 November 2008
Kampala — ANTI-MALARIA drugs are expensive and not widely available in the rural areas of Uganda, particularly outside of government health facilities, a new report says.
The Government and the World Health Organisation recommended a new class of anti-malarial medicines called Artemisinin Combination Therapies (ACTs).
This followed resistance of malaria to drugs like chloroquine.
ACTs, according to the report, launched on Thursday, can cost up to 60 times the price of ineffective medicines like chloroquine. They (ACTs) comprise about 15% of registered anti-malarial drugs on the Ugandan market.
The report is based on data gathered by the health ministry and Medicines for Malaria Venture, a public-private partnership for the development and delivery of low cost malaria drugs.
"A total of 350 Ugandan children die everyday due to malaria in my country. This report provides clear evidence on how we can make life-saving ACTs available to this vulnerable population," said health minister Stephen Mallinga.
An average family's yearly ACT needs can cost up to 62 days of their basic food needs, the report states.
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