WHO should accelerate, not stall, rectal artesunate deployment for pre-referral treatment of severe malaria
Issued Date
2023-07-04
Resource Type
eISSN
18783503
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85164211010
Pubmed ID
36722432
Journal Title
Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Volume
117
Issue
7
Start Page
536
End Page
538
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Vol.117 No.7 (2023) , 536-538
Suggested Citation
Peto T.J., Watson J.A., White N.J., Dondorp A.M. WHO should accelerate, not stall, rectal artesunate deployment for pre-referral treatment of severe malaria. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Vol.117 No.7 (2023) , 536-538. 538. doi:10.1093/trstmh/trad002 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/87960
Title
WHO should accelerate, not stall, rectal artesunate deployment for pre-referral treatment of severe malaria
Author(s)
Author's Affiliation
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
The recent World Health Organization moratorium on rectal artesunate (RAS) for pre-referral treatment of severe childhood malaria is costing young lives. The decision was based on disappointing findings from a large observational study that provided RAS to community health workers with little training and supervision. This non-randomized, operational research has provided useful information to guide the implementation of RAS but is subject to bias and confounding and cannot be used to assess treatment effects. Parenteral artesunate reduces severe malaria mortality and a large body of evidence also shows RAS has lifesaving efficacy. There is now more than a decade of delay in conducting the necessary engagement and training required for successful deployment of RAS. Further delays will result in more preventable deaths.