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Govt launches subsidized anti-malaria therapy
2007-11-19 08:44:56
By Lusekelo Philemon
The government has announced that from now onwards, the subsidized artemether-lumefantrine will be available in all accredited drug dispensing outlets and sold at 500/- per dosage for children and 1,500/- per dosage for adults.
Launching the US government subsidized project in Kilosa over the weekend, the Director of Preventive Services in the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Donan Mmbando, said: `The government has revised its treatment policy and recommended the artemisinin-based combination therapy, as the first-line treatment for uncomplicated malaria.`
He said the newly announced prices were geared towards reducing the burden of disease among Tanzanians.
Dr. Mmbando said an estimated 10 million uncomplicated malaria cases were diagnosed per year, as thousands lost their lives from the disease.
`Having these essential drug shops is one of the government and donor`s efforts to lessen the degree of the problem,`he added.
He warned unscrupulous dispensers who would in any way hike the price for the newly launched anti-malaria drugs.
`The government is keenly interested in these dispensers because of their role to save people’s lives in rural areas. They should not hike the price of these subsidized drugs,` he said.
Dr.Mmbando said the move was deliberately made in order to assist people living in remote areas have access to medication.
Pamela White, Director of the U.S Agency for International Development (USAID) Tanzania Mission, said: `This launch is part of the US President`s Malaria Initiative`s (PMI) broad campaign to support the control of malaria in Tanzania.`
`PMI Tanzania is supporting the distribution of insecticide treated bed nets, the use of indoor residual spraying in selected districts, and case management of malaria.`
She said PMI had pledged USD 1.2 billion over five years to reduce deaths from malaria—whereby Tanzania was one of the first countries that PMI targeted.
So far, PMI has committed USD 790,953 for the purchase of anti-malaria drugs in Tanzania, which covers almost 650, 000 treatment courses—70 per cent of which is given to children under 12 years.
According to the USAID head, during the fiscal year beginning October this year, the US government will provide approximately USD 648 million (over 721bn/-) in direct assistance and through multilateral organizations to Tanzania.
`In Ruvuma and Morogoro regions, 1,363 dispensers have been accredited and trained and are now identifying and treating uncomplicated malaria,` said Margaret Ndomondo-Sigonda, Director General of Tanzania Food and Drug Authority (TFDA).
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