The ACT Malaria Treatment Policy Change in Kenya

Abstract

Objectives of the national Antimalarial treatment policy:

•Enable population at risk access safe, good quality, effective, affordable & acceptable antimalarial drugs

•Ensure rapid and long lasting clinical cure

•Prevent progression to severe disease

•Reduce the incidence of anaemia

•Reduce consequences of placental malaria infection

•Delay development of resistance to antimalarial drugs Key specific issues:

•Limited data available on safety of ACTs in young infants (use of coartem <5kgs)

•Lack of adequate safety and efficacy data on drug combinations in pregnant women (safety of lumefantrine in pregnancy)

•Improving systems of forecasting of drug needs

•Strengthening the management and drug supply system (procurement, distribution and use) according to the specificities of the new drugs (shorter shelf life and the course-of-therapy packs)

•Complex treatment schedules poses challenge for ensuring compliance

•Need for more friendly paediatric formulations