The problem
Without immediate treatment, small children can die of malaria. But many high malaria zones are in remote areas, hours away from health facilities. A single artesunate suppository can buy time for a child with severe malaria to make it to a healthcare facility for comprehensive care, but quality-assured supplies of the medicines are limited and there are questions regarding real-world implementation.
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Our response
This project increased the global supply of quality-assured rectal artesunate for managing severe malaria in children under 5 years and made this product more accessible in malaria-endemic areas. The project successfully procured and distributed the drug to all target community health workers and health facilities, trained and retrained the target numbers of health workers and increased acceptability of rectal artesunate in project communities. The project generated evidence on the use of this medical product for integration in national malaria control programs and among health practitioners in facilities across Africa.
