By Franklin Adole
Nigeria has been named among eight African countries that contributed to a clinical trial leading to the approval of the first malaria treatment for newborns and infants weighing less than five kilograms.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), in a statement on Sunday, applauded Nigeria’s role in the breakthrough, describing it as a milestone in the global fight against malaria.
The new infant-friendly formulation of artemether-lumefantrin dissolves in breast milk and comes with a sweet flavour to ease administration for newborns. Until now, babies in this weight category had no approved treatment for malaria. Health workers were often forced to improvise by modifying doses meant for older children—a practice that carried high risks of overdose and toxicity.
Swiss regulators have already approved the formulation, while Nigeria and the other participating countries are expected to fast-track clearance under the Swiss agency’s Marketing Authorisation for Global Health Products procedure.
Africa CDC Director-General, Dr Jean Kaseya, hailed the development as a major step forward in safeguarding Africa’s youngest children.
“This ensures that even the smallest and most vulnerable infants can now access safe and effective treatment,” Kaseya said, noting that the move could save thousands of young lives each year.
He commended Nigeria alongside Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Uganda for their leadership in paving the way for the new drug.
Dr Ngashi Ngongo, Principal Advisor to the Africa CDC Director-General, stressed that the achievement highlighted Africa’s capacity to drive health innovation through collaboration, with Nigeria playing a key role in the success of the trials.
The Africa CDC pledged to support countries, including Nigeria, in integrating the new treatment into national health systems. This will include fast-tracking regulatory approvals, updating clinical guidelines, training health workers, and ensuring equitable access, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
The treatment was developed by Novartis in partnership with the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) under the PAMAfrica consortium, and will be supplied primarily on a not-for-profit basis to expand access in malaria-endemic regions.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Nigeria bears the world’s highest malaria burden—accounting for about 27 per cent of global cases and 31 per cent of global malaria deaths. Children under five remain the most vulnerable group, making the availability of a safe malaria treatment for infants under five kilograms a historic public health milestone.
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