Uganda has welcomed a breakthrough in the fight against malaria, following the approval of its first treatment designed specifically for newborns and very young children.
Until now, babies weighing under five kilograms had no malaria-specific treatment, forcing doctors to improvise with dosages meant for older children.
With Uganda reporting over 12 million malaria cases and nearly 16,000 deaths in 2023, Uganda Malaria Control Program official, Jane Nabakooza, said the new drug could be lifesaving, especially as cases among infants are on the rise.
Nabakooza described the development as closing a critical gap in malaria care for the country’s youngest and most vulnerable patients
