List Of Malaria Drugs In Uganda
Prescribing practices for malaria in a rural Ugandan hospital: evaluation of a new malaria treatment policy.
Increasing resistance to first line antimalarial drugs led to a change in the antimalarial policy of Uganda in 2005. Successful implementation of this policy depends on changing prescribing patterns of health workers.
Malaria remains an important public health concern, especially in tropical countries where almost all the infections occur. It is an important cause of death and illness in children and adults in tropical countries.
In Uganda, it is also the leading cause of illness and death, accounting for 25–40% of all outpatient visits at health care facilities, 20% of hospital admissions and 15% of inpatient deaths. Fighting the disease is therefore one of the highest priorities of the government of Uganda.
The majority of the prescriptions that were reviewed were for patients with uncomplicated malaria (89.1%, n = 637).
Artemether-Lumefantrine was prescribed for 88.5% (n = 564) of patients with uncomplicated malaria. Quinine was the most prescribed antimalarial for patients with complicated malaria (84.6%, n = 66). Sulphadoxine- Pyrimethamine (SP) alone, Chloroquine (CQ) alone and Chloroquine + Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine (CQ + SP) were prescribed mainly for uncomplicated malaria. A combination of AL + Quinine was also prescribed for 11 patients (1.5%). Results for antimalarial prescription are summarized in Table 2.
Prescribers conformed to the 2005 antimalarial treatment policy in 88.1% (n = 630) of the prescriptions.
Table 2
Antimalarials prescribed according to malaria classification
| Antimalarial drug prescribed | Uncomplicated Malaria n (%) | Complicated Malaria n (%) | Total N (%) |
| AL* | 564 (88.5) | 5 (6.4) | 569 (79.6) |
| Quinine | 8 (1.3) | 66 (84.6) | 74 (10.4) |
| Chloroquine + SP^ | 26 (4.1) | 0 (0.0) | 26 (3.6) |
| SP^ | 15 (2.4) | 2 (2.6) | 17 (2.4) |
| Chloroquine | 15 (2.4) | 0 (0.0) | 15 (2.1) |
| Quinine + AL* | 8 (1.3) | 3 (3.9) | 11 (1.5) |
| AL* + SP^ | 1 (0.2) | 2 (2.6) | 3 (0.4) |
| Total | 637 (89.1) | 78 (10.9) | 715 (100) |
What is the best treatment for malaria in Uganda?
The first line treatment for uncomplicated malaria is an ACT, currently Artemether/Lumefantrine (AL). The alternative first line treatment is Artesunate/Amodiaquine. are not suitable for use in Uganda. o WHO recommends that Quinine be administered with tetracycline or doxycycline or clindamycin.
Which drug is best for malaria treatment?
Medications. The most common antimalarial drugs include: Chloroquine phosphate. Chloroquine is the preferred treatment for any parasite that is sensitive to the drug.12 Oct 2021
What are the names of drugs for malaria?
- chloroquine (Aralen),
- doxycycline (Vibramycin, Oracea, Adoxa, Atridox),
- quinine (Qualaquin),
- mefloquine (Lariam),
- atovaquone/proguanil (Malarone),
- artemether/lumefantrine (Coartem), and.
- primaquine phosphate (Primaquine).
How much does it cost to treat malaria in Uganda?
Coartem typically costs between 12,000 and 18,000 Ugandan shillings, or between $7.40 and $11.20, at private clinics. According to Otaala, studies have found that 40% to 60% of Uganda’s population visits private clinics for initial malaria treatment, even though government clinics distribute malaria drugs at no cost.