Chinese researchers develop model for malaria elimination
Mpho Mokwape | Friday April 21, 2017 18:31
But there could be hope for Africa if there is anything to go by the research and tests done by the researchers at the Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine who say a new model designed for the African continent to eliminate malaria proved to be effective.
In a recent briefing with African journalists on the progress made, the researchers said the elimination of malaria using the model, which is the mass drug administration of a drug called Artemisinin-Piperaquine proved very effective as it had already been piloted in Comoros, a tiny island off Africa’s east coast.
According to one of the researchers, Deng Changsheng the mass drug is a combination of drugs developed over the years from traditional Chinese medicine and it can eliminate the malaria carrier parasite over a period of one month.
Changsheng explained that the idea with the development of the drug was to kill the parasite in the human body as compared to the western style, which is more focused on killing the mosquitoes.
“The research was largely based in the elimination of malaria in the world especially Africa. The method will be more effective than that of the western because at the end we realised that we cannot kill all the mosquitoes. We changed the idea of fighting the disease by killing the parasite in the people instead,” he said.
He said the pilot project started in Comoros and at this stage the small island in Africa is no longer battling with the disease a sign that the drugs were effective. He pointed out that now it means other African countries are now at liberty to use the drug to eliminate the disease from their respective countries. On explaining further how the drugs work one researcher, Li Hui said it was the administration of three drugs over a period of three months, which at the end kill the parasite from the human bloodstream.
Hui noted that the period of three months was based on the fact that it was the life cycle of the mosquito, which transmits the disease from one person to the other so with no human host left to carry the disease it will no longer be able to carry the spread.
“The administration of the drug is carried over a period of three months and it can start working as soon as the first month but nonetheless the dose will be carried out until the third month to totally ensure its effectiveness,” he said.
Quizzed on the approval by WHO, Hui said it was a new drug that had been piloted but the organisation was still doing its own research on the drug but maintained that it was an effective drug that they believed in as researchers therefore they would recommend it to those willing to eliminate malaria.
“Of course every drug has side effects but as researchers we have covered our base and we believe that the elimination of malaria is greater than the side effects. Last year we had 4,000 cases of malaria of which the greater part came from Africa and we managed to contain. The drug is also being used here and it’s working, as we have eliminated malaria in our country,” he said.
Meanwhile according to WHO about 3.2 billion people are at risk of malaria and in Africa, sub-Saharan region carries a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden. In 2015 the region reportedly was home to 89% of malaria cases and 91 of malaria related deaths.
*Mpho Mokwape is in Beijing, China for the ongoing Fourth China-Africa Press Centre Programme, which has 27 African journalists to experience and explore the oriental giant.