Locally-growing moringa tree key in fight against malaria

• Extract, combined with other herbs, can cure even strains that are drug resistant

The new drug, whose development enters Phase III by early next year, is likely to substitute existing medicines used to prevent malaria infection in pregnant women as the disease-causing parasite is rapidly developing resistance.

The drug is a combination of two molecules azithromycin and chloroquine. “When the two are used together they have an efficacy rate of 97 per cent, which is good enough,” said Dr Lewis.

So far, WHO recommends pregnant women take a dose of a combination of sulfadoxine and pyrimethamine (SP), commonly sold in Kenya under brand names such as Fansidar.

“It is important that pregnant women take these drugs to clear the placenta of malaria-causing parasites. This is because they steal food nutrients meant for the foetus, making it underweight and unhealthy,” said Dr Lewis.

The SP drugs, which have for years been used in the treatment of uncomplicated malaria, have since been rendered irrelevant after the malaria-causing parasite developed resistance to it.

This has paved the way for the new first line drugs which, according to WHO, must be a combination of artemether and another anti-malarial drug.

However, it was discovered that the SP drugs are still effective in preventing malaria in pregnancy. But researches show that the parasite is still mounting resistance against it, and it could become completely useless, even in pregnancy, in the near future.