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First malaria drug for babies is approved in ‘major public health milestone’

WHO approves first malaria treatment specifically for babies, a major public health milestone.
Coartem Baby can treat infants as small as 2 kg and is dissolvable in breast milk.
The drug has WHO prequalification, enabling public-sector procurement in high-malaria regions.
Ghana began using Coartem Baby, with Baby Wonder among the first treated at 12 weeks old.
Novartis and MMV developed the treatment, aiming for wide access in malaria-endemic regions.
The Gates Foundation contributed funding to the malaria-focused journalism and related efforts.
WHO cites ongoing use of vaccines, diagnostics, and nets alongside new treatments to combat malaria.
The 2024 global malaria death toll was 610,000, with most deaths under five in Africa.
The article notes a public-health shift toward infant-specific malaria treatments.
Medical leaders hope Coartem Baby will reduce dosing errors and toxicity in infants.

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