Unitaid and Jhpiego launch US$26.5 million initiative to curb rising antimalarial drug resistance in Africa

Geneva, 19 August – Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) have been the cornerstone of malaria treatment since their introduction in 2001. But growing resistance to artemisinin, their main compound, is threatening decades of progress against malaria, a disease that claimed more than 600,000 lives in 2024.

Recent studies have confirmed the emergence of artemisinin partial resistance in several areas of Africa. Although resistance to the ACT partner drugs currently in use has not been confirmed, there are some worrying signals. Reduced efficacy of these frontline treatments will potentially place millions of people, especially young children and pregnant women, at greater risk.

The heavy reliance on a single drug combination, artemether-lumefantrine, which accounts for over 80% of malaria treatments used in Africa, leaves countries highly vulnerable to resistance and its ensuing consequences.

To address this growing threat, Unitaid and Jhpiego are launching Scaling the Optimal Use of Multiple ACTs to Prevent Antimalarial Drug Resistance (STOP-AMDR), a US$26.5 million initiative that aims to protect the effectiveness of existing treatments by supporting the introduction and scale-up of multiple first-line therapies. This strategy that consists of using two or more effective ACTs in a population either together or in rotation to treat uncomplicated malaria, could help slow the spread of resistance.

The four-year project will work in collaboration with global health partners, national malaria programmes, civil society and communities in six countries: Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda and Uganda.

With no new non-artemisinin-based therapies expected until 2027, immediate action is needed to preserve the lifespan of existing treatments.

Working closely with national malaria programs, civil society and communities, the project will strengthen supply chains, prepare health systems for rollout, engage communities to support treatment uptake, and develop national frameworks to enable long-term scale up and integration into health strategies.

According to estimates from Imperial College London, failure to act could result in up to 16 million additional malaria cases, 80,000 more deaths, and an annual economic cost of US$1 billion if resistance to antimalarial drugs becomes widespread.

For communities across Africa, access to effective malaria treatment options is essential. STOP-AMDR is a timely and critical investment that will help preserve these vital medicines, support national malaria responses, and protect hard-won gains on the path toward malaria elimination.

Link to project page: https://unitaid.org/project/stop-amdr/

About Unitaid

Unitaid is a global health organization that saves lives by making new health products available and affordable for people in low- and middle-income countries. Unitaid works with partners to identify innovative treatments, tests and tools, help tackle the market barriers that are holding them back and get them to the people who need them most – fast. Since Unitaid was created in 2006, the organization has unlocked access to more than 100 groundbreaking health products to help address the world’s biggest health challenges, including HIV, TB and malaria; women’s and children’s health; and pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. Every year, more than 300 million people benefit from the products Unitaid has helped roll out. Unitaid is hosted by the World Health Organization.

About Jhpiego

Jhpiego is a global health nonprofit with more than 50 years of experience innovating to save the lives of women, men, and families around the world. Originally established in 1973 as the Johns Hopkins Program for International Education in Gynecology and Obstetrics, Jhpiego has since evolved into a multidimensional organization with active programming in over 35 countries. In partnership with national governments, health experts, and local communities, Jhpiego creates and delivers transformative health care solutions that build providers’ skills, strengthen health systems, and ensure equitable access to high-quality, lifesaving care for all—regardless of location.