Research

Antimalarial medicine diversion: stock-outs and other public health problems

Roger Bate, Kimberly Hess & Lorraine Mooney | 02 Sep 2010 | Research and Reports in Tropical Medicine

Antimalarial medicine diversion has been seen across numerous African markets and can lead to serious stock-outs in the public sector, which can be dangerous to countries with high burdens of disease. This study discusses the numbers of diverted antimalarial medicines from several samplings in Africa.

Assessing Website Pharmacy Drug Quality: Safer Than You Think?

Roger Bate & Kimberly Hess | 13 Aug 2010 | PLoS One

Internet-sourced drugs are often considered suspect. The WHO reports that drugs from websites that conceal their physical address are counterfeit in over 50 percent of cases; the FDA works with the NABP to regularly update a list of websites likely to sell drugs that are illegal or of questionable quality.

Reducing Plasmodium falciparum Malaria Transmission in Africa: A Model-Based Evaluation of Intervention Strategies

Jamie T. Griffin et al | 10 Aug 2010 | PloS Medicine

Over the past decade malaria intervention coverage has been scaled up across Africa. However, it remains unclear what overall reduction in transmission is achievable using currently available tools.

Changes in the burden of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa

Wendy Prudhomme O'Meara et al | 29 Jul 2010 | The Lancet Infectious Diseases

The burden of malaria in countries in sub-Saharan Africa has declined with scaling up of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. To assess the contribution of specific malaria interventions and other general factors in bringing about these changes, we reviewed studies that have reported recent changes in the incidence or prevalence of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa.

Use of RDTs to improve malaria diagnosis and fever case management at primary health care facilities in Uganda

Daniel Kyabayinze et al | 12 Jul 2010 | Malaria Journal

Early and accurate diagnosis of malaria followed by prompt treatment reduces the risk of severe disease in malaria endemic regions.

A pharmacy too far? Equity and spatial distribution of outcomes in the delivery of subsidized ACTs through private drug shops

Justin M Cohen et al | 02 Jul 2010 | BMC Health Services Research

Millions of individuals with malaria-like fevers purchase drugs from private retailers, but ACTs, the only effective treatment in regions with high levels of resistance to older drugs, are rarely obtained through these outlets due to their relatively high cost.

Reduced susceptibility to selected synthetic pyrethroids in urban malaria vector Anopheles stephensi: a case study in Mangalore city, South India

Satyanarayan Tiwari et al | 23 Jun 2010 | Malaria Journal

Synthetic pyrethroids are potent insecticides most commonly used in the vector control programme. These are applied for indoor residual sprays, space sprays and in impregnated bed nets.

Anti-malarial drug quality in Lagos and Accra - a comparison of various quality assessments

Roger Bate & Kimberly Hess | 11 Jun 2010 | Malaria Journal

Two major cities in West Africa, Accra, the capital of Ghana, and Lagos, the largest city of Nigeria, have significant problems with substandard pharmaceuticals. Both have actively combated the problem in recent years, particularly by screening products on the market using the Global Pharma Health Fund e.V. Minilab protocol.

Malaria control beyond 2010

Robert Newman | 11 Jun 2010 | British Medical Journal

Major efforts are being made to achieve the goals for malaria control set by the World Health Assembly1 and the Roll Back Malaria partnership,2 including halving the malaria burden by the end of 2010 compared with 2000. Particularly encouraging is the progress in availability of long lasting insecticide treated mosquito nets.

Before we count malaria out we must first learn to count

Bill Brieger | 31 May 2010 | Africa Health

World Malaria Day for both 2009 and 2010 had the theme 'Counting Malaria Out'. The Abuja Declaration of 2000 set malaria control targets for 2010 that countries are trying to achieve by 31 December 2010.