{"id":259,"date":"2026-04-25T10:12:43","date_gmt":"2026-04-25T10:12:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/consult.genixfertilitycare.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/25\/2026-04-malaria-treatment-infants-html\/"},"modified":"2026-04-25T10:12:43","modified_gmt":"2026-04-25T10:12:43","slug":"2026-04-malaria-treatment-infants-html","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/consult.genixfertilitycare.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/25\/2026-04-malaria-treatment-infants-html\/","title":{"rendered":"WHO approves first malaria treatment for infants"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\n Colorized electron micrograph showing malaria parasite (right, blue) attaching to a human red blood cell. The inset shows a detail of the attachment point at higher magnification. Credit: NIAID
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The World Health Organization announced Friday that it had given prequalification approval to a malaria treatment for newborns and infants for the first time.<\/p>\n

Artemether-lumefantrine is the first antimalarial formulation designed specifically for the youngest victims of the mosquito-borne disease.<\/p>\n

“The prequalification designation indicates that the medicine meets international standards of quality, safety and efficacy,” the WHO said in a statement.<\/p>\n

Up to now, infants have been treated with formulations intended for older children\u2014carrying a greater risk of dosage errors, side effects and toxicity.<\/p>\n

“For centuries, malaria has stolen children from their parents, and health, wealth and hope from communities,” said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.<\/p>\n

“But today, the story is changing. New vaccines<\/a>, diagnostic tests, next-generation mosquito nets and effective medicines, including those adapted for the youngest, are helping to turn the tide.<\/p>\n

“Ending malaria in our lifetime is no longer a dream\u2014it is a real possibility, but only with sustained political and financial commitment. Now we can. Now we must.”<\/p>\n

In 2024, there were an estimated 282 million malaria cases<\/a> and 610,000 deaths in 80 countries, according to the WHO.<\/p>\n

Africa accounts for 95% of cases and deaths, with children under five accounting for three-quarters of those deaths.<\/p>\n

The UN health agency says progress against malaria is being hampered by drug resistance, insecticide resistance, diagnostic failure and sharp reductions in foreign aid spending.<\/p>\n

The WHO said its prequalification would enable public sector procurement and help close a long-standing treatment gap for around 30 million babies born each year in malaria-endemic areas of Africa.<\/p>\n

Globally, 70% of countries do not have regulatory systems that are robust enough to oversee medicines, vaccines, tests and medical devices.<\/p>\n

The WHO prequalification program ensures that key health products for international procurement meet global standards of quality, safety, efficacy and performance.<\/p>\n

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\n \u00a9 2026 AFP\n <\/p>\n

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\n Citation<\/strong>:
\n WHO approves first malaria treatment for infants (2026, April 25)
\n retrieved 25 April 2026
\n from https:\/\/medicalxpress.com\/news\/2026-04-malaria-treatment-infants.html\n <\/p>\n

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