Parasites have emerged that are resistant to malaria drugs, posing a threat to thousands around the world, the World Health Organization has warned.
A drive to tackle the new problem a key focus of a global week highlighting threats to antimicrobial treatments, World Antimicrobial Awareness Week, this week.
WHO said it had received reports of parasite resistance to artemisinin together with “worrying signs” that other drugs are also facing the development of resistance.
The problem has been found in the Greater Mekong region in south east Asia and in Eritrea, Rwanda and Uganda in Africa.
WHO is now calling for improved surveillance of antimalarial drugs and improved use of diagnostic and therapeutics.
It also wants action to identify and target drug resistance parasites – as well as a programme of research. It has warned of the risk of tens of thousands more people dying from malaria if resistance spreads.
Dr Pascal Ringwald, who has developed the new plans, said: “Although antimalarial drug resistance is a serious cause for concern, artemisinin-based combination therapies remain the best available treatment for uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria.
“Health care providers should continue to prescribe and use ACTs to treat confirmed malaria.”
Dr Dorothy Achu, WHO’s new Team Lead for Tropical and Vector Borne Diseases for the African Region, added: “We don’t have that many options for malaria drugs. As it stands, we just have artemisinin-based combination therapies for uncomplicated malaria.
“So, any threat to these drugs could lead to lots of cases and deaths, which we obviously want to avoid.”
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