April 24, 2006 Doctors For Life International (DFL ) would like to join the rest of the world in commemorating Africa Malaria Day. April 25 has been set aside as an opportunity for all countries to reaffirm their commitment to reduce the burden of Malaria. 44 Malaria-afflicted countries in Africa suffer a huge proportion of the 300 – 500 million malaria infections that occur annually. Malaria claims 3,000 lives every day and between1-3 million each year. 90% of its victims are from Africa where malaria constitutes 10% of the continent's overall disease burden. Impoverished children under five and pregnant women are disproportionately affected. It is estimated that malaria costs Africa US$12 billion in lost GDP every year. In addition to other South African organizations such as the Medical Research Council (MRC), the recently launched South African Malaria Initiative (SAMI) and several academic institutions, DFL has been actively working to help address the huge malaria burden that Africa faces. DFL participated in the Africa Herbal Antimalarial Meeting (AHAM) held in Nairobi , Kenya from March 20 - 22. The 75 participants, majority of who were from African countries included international health agency representatives, national health regulators, scientists, herbal manufacturers and herbal plant researchers. The aim of the meeting was to discuss the structural needs for policy and regulation, cultivation and harvesting, and the manufacturing and processing of herbal remedies produced in Africa for the treatment of malaria and other diseases. Increasing resistance to malaria drugs used for decades resulted in attention being turned to the development of new medicines such as Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies (ACTs). Artemisinin is extracted from Artemisia, a Chinese herbal plant. DFL has been working on the scientific development of an Artemisia based product for a number of years with a focus on providing better access to this key antimalarial in poor, rural areas of Africa. DFL's AID to Africa project conducts clinics in Mozambique and Angola where the incidence of Malaria is very high. Last year, at the invitation of the Roll Back Malaria department (RBM) of the World Health Organization (WHO), DFL participated in discussions held in Arusha, Tanzania to establish a reliable supply of ACTs. However, while ACTs are an important tool in the fight against malaria, like many other pharmaceutical products, sufferers in poor and rural areas may find access to these drugs difficult. This has led to a need to develop safe and effective herb and plant based remedies that can be better accessed in rural areas. This includes investigating traditional use of herbs and plants for scientific standardisation and the subsequent incorporation of safe and effective herbal products into national health policies. The MRC recently announced the development of a new malaria drug by South African scientists using extracts from an indigenous plant of the Asteraceae family. AHAM's resolutions titled the "Gigiri declaration", calls for international regulators, African governments, medical researchers, business partners and donor agencies to endorse and participate in a comprehensive and integrated approach to malarial treatment. Particular attention is called to the development of safe and effective herbal antimalarials to ensure that malaria deaths are drastically reduced and people have access to affordable treatments. To support these actions, AHAM organisers are proposing the creation of an Africa Herbal Antimalaria Consortium (AHAC) to finance, develop and share knowledge and products associated with herbal antimalarials. DFL's main role is to encourage and to help facilitate the use of sound science in these developments. DFL plans to continue in its efforts to provide safe and effective medicines and medical services to people with poor access to medical care. 'Doctors for Life International' represents more than 1000 medical doctors and specialists, three-quarters of who practise in South Africa. DFL was founded as a South African organisation in 1991 and has spread across the globe.
'Doctors for Life International' represents more than 1400 medical doctors and specialists, three-quarters of who practice in South Africa. Since 1991 DFL has been actively promoting health care that is safe and efficient for all South Africans. DFL was founded as a South African organization in 1991 and has spread across the globe. DFL is involved in several community projects including orphan care, the care of terminal AIDS patients, malaria prevention and the care of abused women. |