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WHO unveils new strategy to tackle antimalarial drug resistance in Africa — Global Issues


Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for a high proportion of the global malaria burden, with approximately 96% of all cases and deaths in 2020.

Due to drug resistance, the drugs that treat the life-threatening disease become ineffective.

Worrying sign

Malaria is a parasite transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito.

In recent years, there have been reports from the continent of parasite resistance to artemisinin, the core compound of the best available drugs to treat malaria, speak WHO.

Furthermore, worrisome indications that parasites in some areas may be resistant to drugs are often associated with artemisinin.

“While antimalarial drug resistance is a serious cause for concern, artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) remain the best available treatment for uncomplicated malaria. P. falciparum malaria,” said Dr Pascal Ringwald, lead author of the new strategy and Coordinator in the WHO Global Malaria Programme.

Resistance Report

Artemisinin-resistant parasites have been identified in the Greater Mekong subregion in Southeast Asia and parts of Africa, notably Eritrea, Rwanda and Uganda.

Although resistance to artemisinin alone rarely leads to treatment failure, WHO says resistance to both artemisinin and a partner drug in the ACT regimen can lead to high failure rates.

Prevent potential threat

Although ACT partner resistance has not been confirmed in Africa to date, the lack of data from several countries is one of the worrying signals.

Conflicting findings about the effectiveness of the ACT also need further evaluation.

“We don’t have many options for antimalarial drugs,” said Dr. Dorothy Achu, WHO Africa-born New Vector and Tropical Diseases Team Leader.

“Currently, we only have artemisinin-based combination therapies for uncomplicated malaria. So any threat to these drugs could lead to more cases and deaths, which we obviously want to avoid.”

World antibiotic awareness week

The new strategy calls for increased surveillance of the effectiveness and resistance of antimalarials, optimization and better regulation of diagnostic and therapeutic use, and limiting the spread of resistant malaria parasites. drugs, and spur more research and innovation.

It includes recommended interventions, including creating standardized data on drug efficacy and developing innovative tools to limit malaria transmission and transmission.

The strategy was announced at the beginning World antibiotic awareness weektakes place from 18 to 24 November.

Platform for action

Related, a new one stakeholder platform was launched to address the threat of antibiotic resistance (AMR) to humans, animals, plants and ecosystems.

Although antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs have greatly improved human and animal health over the past century, overuse and abuse have reduced their effectiveness.

Resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medications, making it more difficult to treat an infection, thereby increasing the risk. spread of disease, serious illness and death.

Join forces now

Each year, about 1.3 million people worldwide die from AMR.

The WHO warned that numbers could skyrocket without action, leading to higher public health costs and more people being pushed into poverty, especially in low-income countries.

The platform is an initiative of WHO, together with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH).

The aim is to increase efforts to both save lives and maintain the effectiveness of antimicrobials for current and future generations by using them sustainably.

“Antibiotic resistance threatens animal health, food safety and security, economic prosperity and ecosystems worldwide,” said FAO General Director Dongyu Qu.

“The world needs to join forces now to stop drug-resistant diseases and minimize its impact.”

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