Rising resistance to malarial treatment a time bomb

A new threat has emerged in the fight against the disease. PHOTO | POOL

Urgent action is needed to address the rising malarial treatment resistance in eastern Africa, a recent Policy Forum has warned.

Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), first recommended by the World Health Organisation in 2006, have been the cornerstone of malaria treatment and control for over a decade, and have played a crucial role in reducing the global burden of malaria.