Artesunate-Amodiaquine the preferred drug for malaria treatment
The Northern Zonal Coordinator of the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP), Mr Sylvester Segbaya, has recommended the use of Artesunate-Amodiaquine as the preferred fast acting drug for the treatment of malaria.
According to him, studies conducted by Noguchi and Korle-Bu showed that Artesunate-Amodiaquine still remained the drug of choice and I s more efficient at reducing fevers and other symptoms associated with malaria.
Mr Segbaya stated this during a workshop on Malaria Reporting in Bolgatanga.
He said revision of the drug policy, the World Health Organization (WHO) and other multilateral health partners had come up with some measures and recommendation that had the capability of dealing with malaria related cases.
It mentioned Artemisinin–Based Combination Therapy (ACT) that was rolled out recently as the preferred and most effective drug therapy for the treatment of complicated malaria.
He said it was being patronized now in the country for the treatment of malaria and said it was very affordable and accessible.
The introduction of the new drug, Mr Segbaya explained, was to help drive sub-standard malaria drugs from the open market.
Its usage would be run for the next two years with Ghana being chosen as one of the selected pilot countries.
He said beyond the pilot phase, the Global Fund of USAID, was yet to take a decision to find out whether it should be scaled beyond its target period.
Source: GNA