The cost of first line malaria drug in the country (Allu) will be lowered to Sh400 per dose, the Government has announced.

This is after the decision to allow private sector players to import the drug.

Minister for Health and Social Welfare Prof David Mwakyusa revealed this at the weekend when launching 'United Against Malaria' campaign in Tanzania.

Prof Mwakyusa conceded that the current price of between Sh14,000 and Sh18,000 per dose was too high for majority of Tanzanians to afford.

According to the minister, from June next year private sector players, through a special arrangement known as AMFM, will be allowed to import the drug at lower cost.

"This means that all patients who will be treated in private health facilities will have to pay not more than Sh400 for a dose of Allu," he said. Prof Mwakyusa said the move would contribute immensely in reducing malaria prevalence in the country as most people would afford the drug.

He said that the drug was very effective in curing malaria but the problem had been its exorbitant price and circulation as it could be found in Government health facilities only.

The minister said that Malaria was a global emergency that perpetuated a vicious cycle of poverty in the developing world with great economic costs.

He said it was estimated that 16 to 18 million people get malaria each year.

Of these cases an estimated 80,000 people die annually, most of them being children under five years and pregnant mothers.

He said that the disease is estimated to consume 3.4 per cent of annual gross domestic product (GDP) that is about $240 million (Sh319.2 billion) annually through reduced productivity in the workforce, absenteeism from school and work and the direct and indirect costs of treatment or deaths.

Prof Mwakyusa said 2010 was a key year in the fight against malaria as activities aligned with roll back malaria burden. The strategies include universal coverage of long lasting insecticide treated nets, which is supposed to be completed by the end of the said year.

United against malaria campaign was a partnership of footballers, non- governmental organisations, foundations, local and national governments whose joint efforts seek to harness the energy around the 2010 football World Cup to engage the country in malaria control.