Government stands by malaria policy

Following recent confusion over the potential side effects of a new malaria drug - Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine (SP)- the Tanzanian health ministry has reiterated its faith in the drug as the most effective method of treating the deadly disease.

The ministry issued a statement to clarify "misinterpretations" of comments by Health Minister Anna Abdallah and subsequent high profile but "exaggerated" cases of patients reacting negatively to the drug.

SP was adopted as Tanzania's first line anti-malaria drug a year ago, when it was found that the traditional drug - chloroquine - was no longer effective.

"The minister reiterated that the use of chloroquine has been suspended because it was failing to cure six out of ten cases of malaria and that the danger of sticking to a failing drug was the risk of increased death rates due to malaria, particularly of children and pregnant women," the statement said.

"The decision to replace chloroquine with SP was based on two reasons. First, research findings that indicated SP to have a cure rate of 85-90 percent and secondly, the fact that it is a cheaper alternative compared to other anti-malarials," it said.

The statement noted that the government was aware of the potential side effects, such as skin reactions. However, these occurrences were very rare and those with problems taking sulphur-containing drugs or anyone wary of taking the drug should take Amodiaquine, the second line malaria drug.

"Giving trial treatment to see whether or not chloroquine would work in a trial-and-error fashion is likely to endanger lives due to lost time," the statement added. "Many more people, particularly children and pregnant mothers, are likely to die if this approach is adopted."