Plagues,
Pestilences and Diseases
WHO battles rapidly spreading 'super' drug resistant malaria
strain
by Staff Writers
Geneva, Switzerland (UPI) Jan 13, 2011
The World Health Organization began efforts to stop the spread of
parasites resistant to the most potent treatment for malaria, the
Geneva-based agency said.
Undertaken by the U.N. health agency and the Roll Back Malaria
Partnership, the plan outlines actions to contain and prevent
resistance to artemisinins, the critical component of
artemisinin-based combination therapies, the most potent treatment
for falciparum malaria, the deadliest form of the disease, the
United Nations said Wednesday in a release.
"The usefulness of our most potent weapon in treating malaria is
now under threat," said WHO Director-General Margaret Chan. "The
new plan takes advantage of an unprecedented opportunity in the
history of malaria control: to stop the emergence of drug
resistance at its source and prevent further international spread.
The consequences of widespread artemisinin resistance compel us to
seize this opportunity."
The five-step Global Plan for Artemisinin Resistance Containment's
goal is to contain and prevent artemisinin resistance by stopping
the spread of resistant parasites, increase monitoring and
surveillance for artemisinin resistance, improve access to malaria
diagnostic testing and logical treatment with artemisinin-based
combination therapies, invest in artemisinin resistance-related
research and motivate action, and mobilize resources, the United
Nations said.
WHO said the plan's success will depend on a coordinated and
adequately funded response at global, regional and national
levels.
"Effective containment of artemisinin resistance will
significantly improve our capability to sustain current control
achievements at country level," said Awa Coll-Seck, executive
director of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership.
The health agency said the number of malaria cases fell by more
than 50 percent in 43 countries during the past decade. The loss
of artemisinin-based combination therapies as an effective
treatment likely would result in an increase in malaria-related
deaths, WHO warned.