New Hope for Africa: First Malaria Treatment for Babies Approved

A long-overdue breakthrough finally gives Africa’s tiniest malaria patients the medicine they need, safely and specifically formulated just for them.

For decades, healthcare workers across Africa have been treating malaria in babies using medicines designed for older children, adjusting doses by eye, hoping it works, and praying it doesn’t go wrong.

Now, that dangerous workaround is finally history. In 2025, the first-ever malaria treatment specifically designed for babies under 4.5 kg was approved. The drug, called Coartem Baby or Riamet Baby in some regions, will be rolled out in high-risk African countries within weeks.

This changes everything for newborns infected with one of the world’s deadliest diseases.

Why This Matters: The Deadly “Treatment Gap”

Malaria killed around 597,000 people in 2023, the most recent year for which full data is available. A shocking 75% of these deaths were children under five, almost all in Africa.

While there are treatments for young children, babies under 4.5 kg, about the size of a newborn, were left out. Doctors had no approved medicine to give them, only scaled-down versions of adult or child drugs. That often meant dangerous overdosing risks, since babies’ organs process medicines very differently.

This problem, known as the treatment gap, has long been considered one of the most urgent and overlooked issues in global child health.

Coartem Baby: Designed for the Tiniest Fighters

Developed by Novartis with support from the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), Coartem Baby was tested in partnership with eight African nations, all expected to be among the first to receive doses.

It’s been designed not just to work safely in infants but to be affordable, as Novartis plans to distribute it on a not-for-profit basis in malaria hotspots.

“This is a historic moment,” said Novartis CEO Vas Narasimhan. “We’re proud to deliver a medicine made for the most vulnerable, our newborns.”

Experts Applaud the Breakthrough

Health professionals and researchers across Africa and beyond are calling the move a milestone.

Martin Fitchet, CEO of MMV, said the drug brings us one step closer to eliminating malaria:

“This fills a critical gap in malaria treatment. With the right tools, we can beat this disease.”

Professor Marvelle Brown, from the University of Hertfordshire, praised the rollout as both a medical and moral victory.

“Malaria’s toll on children under five is devastating. This treatment can help level the playing field, especially in babies with additional health challenges like sickle cell disease.”

What’s Next: Rollout and Relief

Coartem Baby will begin distribution in high-burden African countries by mid-2025. These include some of the hardest-hit malaria zones, where healthcare workers have long battled the odds.

On social media, the reaction has been a mix of relief, joy, and frustration, with many questioning why such a medicine took so long to arrive. Others are calling for similar treatment innovations for other neglected groups, like pregnant women and rural communities.

But for now, there’s real hope. Parents, doctors, and communities can finally say: babies matter too.

Also read: Justice 37 Years Later: Johan Marais Sentenced for Apartheid-Era Murder of Caiphus Nyoka

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Source: BBC

Featured Image: Sky News