Novartis, the world’s leading provider of Artemisinin-based combination therapies against malaria has announced developments of the next generation of medicines for malaria.
Speaking in Seme sub-county during the delivery of 200,000 malaria treatments for children in the country, Novartis East Africa head Mo Metwally says they have a new malaria compound that will enable them develop new malaria medicine.
Metwally said, “We are optimistic the new innovation will reach phase two clinical development in 20 years. Novartis remains committed to offer contributions geared towards lowering the burden of malaria in the country.”
He added that Novartis has launched ‘FamiliaNawiri’, a rural medicines access programme in the country. The programme will expand access to essential medicines in rural Kenya as well as improving on health education.
Metwally says for over 40 years, Novartis has been active in the country delivering over 78 million malaria treatments to the public sector at no cost since 2006 and expanding access to quality malaria medicines.
James Sang, program officer Malaria Control Unit in the ministry of health said malaria elimination progress is promising.
He said, “The government has distributed free treated nets across the country but the only challenge is utilization in Nyanza region. Recent statistics indicate that the usage in the region is below par with only 38 percent using the nets out of the population that have received the nets.”
He added, “We have to think as partners and communities on the best ways of encouraging our people to sleep under the net.”
Sang urged the county governments to invest in interventions to eradicate malaria to enable them divert some of the funds meant for the treatment of malaria to other deserving sectors.