Cost restricting malaria treatment

Cost is restricting the use of some malaria medication, it has been claimed.

A study by PSI has suggested that artemisinin combination therapy (ACT) can be more than 20 times more expensive than ineffective anti-malaria treatment.

The research, which was unveiled at the Pan African Malaria Conference in Nairobi, found that even in the private sector availability of ACT remains low.

Dr Desmond Chavasse, vice-president for malaria control and child survival at PSI, said that the study shows that price is restricting the use of these treatments.

He commented: "A full course of an adult treatment of ACT can be up to 65 times the minimum daily wage. This provides an overpowering incentive for a consumer to make the wrong anti-malarial choice."

This comes shortly after drug company GlaxoSmithKline told Reuters that cost would not be an issue with the supply of its potential malaria vaccine, saying that price would not "get in the way".

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