Health ministers from malaria-endemic African countries are calling for a more coordinated international effort to contain the spread of drug-resistant malaria, noting that key treatments could become less effective if nothing is done. ALSO READ: Seven key things Rwanda is doing to combat malaria surge The ministers, who met on the sidelines of the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland on May 20, discussed increasing concerns over resistance to artemisinin, the compound of most widely used antimalarial medicines. ALSO READ: Malaria drug resistance: Rwanda updates treatment guidelines Rwanda hosted the meeting in partnership with seven other countries, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Namibia, South Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, and Zambia. “Antimalarial drug resistance is a threat to every community on this continent. It demands a shared response, rooted in science, solidarity and speed,” said Rwanda's Minister of Health, Dr Sabin Nsanzimana. The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed partial resistance to artemisinin in four countries, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and Eritrea, and says suspected cases in other nations are under investigation. Most countries in Africa depend on artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), especially artemether-lumefantrine, which makes up the bulk of public sector malaria treatments. With Africa accounting for 95 per cent of global malaria cases and deaths, ministers noted that drug resistance could stall or even reverse progress. Substandard or fake medicines, inconsistent supply chains and patients not completing full treatment courses have all contributed to the problem. Dr Daniel Ngamije, the Director of WHO’s Global Malaria Programme, said stronger collaboration is needed across countries and sectors. “We must act decisively and in solidarity to preserve the tools we have and to ensure access to effective treatments for all in need,” Dr Ngamije said. The WHO has rolled out a regional strategy aimed at tracking resistance, supporting national malaria programmes and encouraging countries to adopt more than one type of first-line treatment. However, the alternatives to artemether-lumefantrine remain more expensive and harder to access. the ministers and health experts at the meeting also explained the need for investment in next-generation therapies. Some triple-drug combinations and non-artemisinin-based treatments are expected to be ready in the coming years, but cost and distribution will remain challenges. “Innovation is critical in the fight against drug resistance, said Dr Martin Fitchet, the CEO of Medicines for Malaria Venture, which is involved in antimalarial drug research and development. With our partners, we are developing next-generation antimalarials that could reach patients by 2027 while acting now to preserve the power of today’s treatments. Both are vital to outpace resistance and keep saving lives.” The meeting supported commitments made in the 2024 Yaoundé Declaration, which called for stronger leadership from malaria-affected countries, better data sharing, and more predictable financing. Health officials stressed that new treatments alone won’t solve the problem without solid surveillance systems and regional coordination. “Data needs to be provided in a timely way so that researchers can share it with policymakers and then policymakers are able to use that data to make decisions,” said Prof Dyann Wirth, chair of the WHO Malaria Advisory Policy Group. Global Fund Executive Director Peter Sands noted the consequences of failure, including the loss of life and the burden on some of the world’s poorest communities. “We must communicate what’s at stake, with a gradual issue like resistance, the full scale of the problem may only become clear when it’s too late,” Sands said.
