"STOP USING CHLOROQUINE, ARTESUNATE AND OR OTHER MONOTHERAPIESTO TREAT MALARIA"-FG WARNS NIGERIANS

This is serious according Mrs Nnenna Ezeigwe, National Coordinator, National Malaria Control Programme, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
She, however, recommended that people should take only Artemisinin Combination Therapy (ACTs) when they test positive for malaria.
“If your test result is positive, take only Artemisinin Combination Therapy (ACTs). Do not treat malaria with chloroquine, artesunate or other monotherapies.
“The ACT with green leaf is good quality and affordable; Ask for it,” she said.

Contacted, Mrs Adeline Osakwe, Deputy Director, Pharmacovigilance, Food and Drugs Information Centre of the National Agency for Food and Administration and Control (NAFDAC), said the use of chloroquine and artesunate in Nigeria was being gradually phased out.

“Since 2005, the use of monotherapies such as artesunate and chloroquine had been discouraged in favour of Aretmisinin Combination Therapy (ACT) for uncomplicated malaria.
“These ACTs include Arthemeter/Lumenfantrine, Artesunate/Amodiaquine, and other registered ones.
Osakwe said that the monotherapies are gradually being phased out by not registering new ones and not renewing those that their licenses had expired.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) had placed a global ban on the use of chloroquine and artesunate in 2005.