Ghana among first countries to roll out new malaria drug for babies under 6 months

A mosquito bite can turn fatal before a baby is even old enough to crawl, as malaria continues to kill hundreds of thousands across Africa each year. Until now, infants under six months had no malaria treatment specifically designed for them. The World Health Organization has approved Coartem Baby, the first malaria drug made for newborns and young infants. Ghana is among the first countries to begin rolling out the treatment in clinics. Doctors in the country report strong recovery rates among patients receiving the full course of malaria medication. WHO says there were 282 million malaria cases globally in 2024, with 610,000 deaths, 95 percent in Africa. Children under five accounted for around 75 percent of all malaria-related deaths. While prevention tools like mosquito nets remain essential, the new drug offers a targeted treatment option for the most vulnerable infants.

Al Jazeera's Dalya Al Masri reports.

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