Research by the government of Uganda and the Medicines for Malaria Venture say that effective new classes of anti-malaria drugs are too expensive and not widely available for most people in Africa. In its first report in Uganda the venture says that the new artimesinin based combination therapies (ACTs) need to replace all the older therapies if malaria is to be appropriately treated. This is because the malaria parasite is largely resistant to the older chloroquine-based therapies.
However, the study found that effective malaria treatment is not available in rural area of Uganda, particularly outside government health facilities. ACT can cost 60 times the price of ineffective drugs, such as chloroquine. ACTs are also often not available at government clinics and so patients resort to private medicine.
The report also found that in Uganda an average family's yearly artemisinin based combination therapy could cost up to 62 days of the household's basic food bill and 91 days of average household income, which is why "only 50% of patients buy a full course of medicines, increasing the risk of resistance."
"Malaria is completely curable but too many people die because effective medicines are neither affordable nor available," said Chris Hentschel, the organisation's president. "This study provides powerful evidence to policy makers and donors to build a case for greater accessibility of effective antimalarials via all channels, public or private."
The research found 174 antimalarial drugs available for sale on the market in Uganda. Artemisinin based combination therapies accounted for about 15% of registered drugs, and most outlets had an average of 6-9 different antimalarial drugs. Chloroquine and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine, drugs with low efficacy, were widely found in all types of outlets.
The price of chloroquine was 200-500 Uganda shillings (as little as £0.08; 0.09; $0.10), and the cost of artemisinin combination therapies was 9000-20 000 shillings.
