Novartis convenes international malaria experts to expand access to quality-assured antimalarial treatment in Africa

KAMPALA, Uganda, June 26, 2013/ — Today, national and international leaders from more than 25 countries across Africa are meeting, at the 12th annual National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) Best Practice Sharing Workshop, to discuss the problem of sub-standard antimalarialsin Africa and address key topics and challenges faced by the malaria community.

• Half of patients in Africa buy antimalarials from the private sector where wide availability of sub-standard treatmentisputting patient’s lives at risk
• Malaria leadersfrom more than 25 African countries will explore solutions to eradicate sub-standard treatment in the private sector
• Novartis launches global virtualmalaria community to facilitatesharing of best practice to speed up malaria elimination efforts

Novartis (http://www.novartis.com), with support from leading international organizations, including the Global Fund, Clinton Health Access Initiative, ACTwatch, the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics, and the Global Business Coalition, has developed a workshop program to address and explore these issues and increase efforts to combat malaria. This year’s NMCP workshop is themed “Expanding Access to Quality-Assured Artemisinin-based Combination therapies” (ACTs).

Commenting on the importance of these discussions, Prof. Bob Snow, Chairman of the Malaria Public Health Department at the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust, said: “The progress that has been made toward significantly reducing the malaria burden in Africa will be quickly undermined if we do not tackle the endemic problem of poor quality antimalarials in the private sector. The issue urgently needs to be addressed through a collaborative effort between governments and the wider malaria constituency so we can ensure that all patients have access to the best antimalarials available.”

Successful treatment of malaria depends on high-quality antimalarials, however, sub-standard, obsolete antimalarials, and oral artemisinin monotherapiesremain readily available in many African countries through the private sector. These treatments may contain too little or no active ingredient, thereby putting patients’lives at risk.

Evolving role of private sector in ensuring access to quality-assured antimalarials

The integration of the Affordable Medicines Facility for malaria (AMFm) into the core Global Fund grant processwill mean that in the future countries will need to specifically apply for and allocate resources to private sector strategies. This has the potential to impact patient access to quality-assured medicines as up to half of Africans purchase antimalarials through the private sector.In light of this, there is a need to explore how NMCPs will integrate private sector access to antimalarials into their overall malaria strategies.

Highlighting the significance of expanding access to quality-assured ACTs, Dr. Okui Albert Peter, the Program Manager of the NMCP in Uganda, said,“a large proportion of Africans source antimalarial treatments through the private sector but the quality of these treatments cannot always be guaranteed.Now more than ever, it is important that we develop sustainable solutions that do not solely rely on donor funding to ensure effective and affordable treatments reach patients that access their treatment through private sources.”

Novartis connecting the global malaria community to bring an end to malaria

Novartis will launch a virtual community to allow NMCP workshop participants to continue workshop discussions throughout the year. This private and by invitation only community will be hosted on a website of expert-led communities developed and managed by the Global Health Delivery Project at Harvard University, http://www.GHDonline.org. The platform will enable NMCP members to discuss new successes and challenges as well as practical solutions to improving malaria control and elimination strategies in their countries. It will allow usersto disseminate their work and to connect with almost 10,000 other members of public communities across different disease areas on GHDonline, who represent more than 2,800 organizations in 175 countries.

 “With this virtual community, Novartis is set to be one of the first leading healthcare companies to support the professional exchange of knowledge between experts across geographies. Collaborations and ideas that will undoubtedly germinate in this platform will work to accelerate progress in the fight against malaria,” said Dr. Sungano Mharakurwa, the Scientific Director at the Macha Research Trust in Choma, Zambia.

NMCP Best Practice Sharing Workshops

Since the first pioneering workshop in 2006, NMCP Best Practice Sharing Workshops have been facilitating the exchange of experiences and best practice between countries, highlighting successes and challenges, raising awareness of new initiatives, and discussing practical solutions to the barriers to malaria prevention and treatment.

 “The Novartis Malaria Initiative is proud to host the 12th NMCP workshop as these meetings have led to groundbreaking projects that have significantly impacted the control of malaria,” said Linus Igwemezie, Head of the Novartis Malaria Initiative. “We look forward to fostering new approaches to fighting malaria by bringing together the best minds and leaders in the field.Partnerships such as theseare vital in the fight against malaria.”

Groundbreaking projects have emerged from pastworkshops, such as the SMS for Life program to support more efficient stock management in rural health facilities, and the development of Coartem® Dispersible, the first Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT)specifically tailored to infants and children, and meeting the World Health Organization requirements for a pediatric antimalarial medicine, which was developed in collaboration with Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV).

Novartis is on track to reach the significant milestone of delivering 200 million treatments of Coartem® Dispersible in 2013. Never before have so many treatments been distributed in such a short time frame to assist children suffering from malaria.

Distributed by the African Press Organization on behalf of Novartis.

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