The World Health Organization has, for the first time, cleared a malaria treatment specifically designed for newborns and young infants, addressing a long-standing gap in pediatric care. The drug is a child-friendly version of artemether-lumefantrine, a two-drug therapy where one component rapidly reduces parasites in the blood while the other lingers to eliminate remaining parasites and prevent relapse. It is intended for babies weighing between 2 and 5 kilograms. Previously, infants with malaria were treated with medications meant for older children, often requiring dose adjustments that could lead to errors, side effects, or harm.
Impact on Global Health
The WHO prequalification enables countries and global agencies to procure the medicine for public health programs, expanding access to a quality-assured treatment for one of the most vulnerable groups. While the immediate impact is expected in high-burden regions like Africa, the approval also allows countries such as India to adopt the formulation through national programs if needed. The announcement coincides with World Malaria Day, underscoring both urgency and opportunity in the fight against the disease.
“For centuries, malaria has stolen children from their parents,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, adding that new tools are helping turn the tide—but only if countries continue to invest in the fight.
New Diagnostic Tests Approved
In parallel, WHO has also cleared three new rapid tests to improve malaria diagnosis. Current tests detect a protein called HRP2, but in many regions, the parasite has evolved to evade detection, leading to missed cases. Studies from 46 countries show gaps, including up to 80% under-detection in parts of the Horn of Africa. The new tests target a different marker, pf-LDH, which is more reliable. WHO has advised countries to switch if older tests miss more than 5% of cases—a recommendation that could become relevant for India if similar trends emerge.
Global Malaria Burden
Globally, malaria remains a challenge, with an estimated 282 million cases and 610,000 deaths in 2024. While India has seen a sharp decline in cases over the past decade, the disease persists in some regions. Despite setbacks, progress has been significant: since 2000, about 2.3 billion infections have been prevented and 14 million lives saved, with vaccines and next-generation mosquito nets strengthening control efforts.
