Disease Prevention and Control / Communicable Diseases / Malaria
Guyana Launches Arteminisin Combination Anti-Malaria Drug Co-artem® | ||
 | ||
|
The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) launched Co-artem®, a co-formulated anti-malaria drug, on 8 September 2004 outside of the Malaria Clinic Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) compound, Guyana. Worldwide, falciparum is the most dangerous species of malaria. In Guyana, more than 25,000 malaria cases are reported annually. Co-artem®, a fixed combination of two drugs (Artemether and Lumefantrine) is an anti-malaria therapy for acute, uncomplicated falciparum malaria; the manufacturers of the drug are Novartis (Beijing Novartis Pharma Ltd) from China. 
The Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy who delivered the feature address, said that the number of cases of malaria had decreased dramatically in Guyana but the disease still remains a serious public health problem. He stressed that Guyana was attacking the problem on the preventive front, as well as on the curative aspect of early diagnosis and treatment and post care. He proposed that Guyana should have a "Malaria Day" within a "Malaria Week" to assist in the sensitization of the public on this important health problem. 
PAHO Representative Dr. Bernadette Theodore-Gandi noted that this launching marked a significant milestone in the efforts to address malaria, not only at the national level but regionally as well, since Guyana is only the second country in the Americas to adopt this line of treatment. Further, that technical support was facilitated by PAHO/WHO, while USAID provided financial support through the RAVREDA Project. With the launching of this drug, she said Guyanese should not become complacent about malaria control but continue to promote patients' education, and community involvement and participation, especially among individuals/companies in the mining and logging entities, as well as environmental workers and those who are responsible for the welfare and health for indigenous communities. 
The Regional Malaria Advisor PAHO, Dr. Keith Carter observed that every 20 minutes, 40 children die from malaria worldwide. Co-artem®, he said, is a combination of two (2) drugs that prevents falciparum parasites easily becoming resistant to the drug, since the resistance is essentially depend on mutation. However, the constituent drugs administered in the combination have independent modes of action and different target sites on the parasites. 
Indal Rambajan, Director of Vector Control Services and Principal Investigator of the Co-artem® in vivo study, informed the gathering that this is the first time testing was being done in Guyana for any drug. Rambajan said though the study was difficult, the drug's efficacy and safety were 100% with very few side effects; but it was not recommended for use in pregnant women and children under 10 Kg. Further, Guyana would contribute additional scientific information on the use of this drug by continuing to record data on the results as regard safety and efficacy. He noted that Guyana is the first country in the western hemisphere to introduce this drug as the first-line treatment for falciparum malaria nationally. 
Attending the launching were Representatives from UNICEF, CDC, USAID, Guyana Miner's Association, Guyana Geology and Mining Commission, Medical Council of Guyana, Workers of the Malaria Programme, Nurses and Others Health Workers, including the team that carried out the in vivo study on efficacy and safety of Co-artem®. 
Posters, specimens, samples, etc. with information on the activities of the National Malaria Control Programme in Guyana, included entomological, clinical, parasitological and pharmacological aspects coupled with details on the current status of malaria, as well as, preliminary results of the in vivo study on the Efficacy and Safety of the Co-artem® were exhibited. | ||
|
| ||
| ||