The problem
Malaria is a major global health threat that causes hundreds of thousands of deaths every year. Children under five are by far the most vulnerable, and malaria in pregnancy puts mothers and their unborn babies at serious risk. Antimalarial medicines are critical, but supplies of the necessary drugs were often insufficient or of poor quality, and most medicines were imported from other continents.
Our response
With this project, we strengthened the global availability of several key quality-assured malaria medicines that can prevent infection and death. The project expanded quality-assured supplies of medicines used for preventing malaria in young children and pregnant women, and a suppository medicine for children with severe malaria that can be used as an emergency measure while they make it to the closest hospital or health center.
Working to improve the supply of regionally manufactured medicines and health tools, MMV and Unitaid supported three drug manufacturers in Africa to get quality certification from the World Health Organization for critical antimalarials. And with a goal of ensuring children – who are the most affected by malaria – have properly dosed, easy-to-administer medicines to ensure quality care, the project supported manufacturers in developing pediatric formulations of key drugs.
