The World Health Organization has announced the approval of the world's first malaria drug specifically for infants.
The organization announced, ahead of World Malaria Day on April 25, that the artemether-lumefantrine combination drug version was specifically designed for newborns and infants weighing up to 5 kilograms
This drug could help fill a healthcare gap for some 30 million babies born each year in malaria-endemic areas across Africa.
To date, many of them are being treated with doses intended for older children, which carries the risk of side effects.
The World Health Organization recommends the use of insecticide-treated bed nets for infants and adults, to minimize exposure to mosquito bites from the outset.
According to data from the World Health Organization, children under the age of five account for 75% of malaria-related deaths.
