A look into malaria drug resistance

Malaria vaccination was launched in Busia two years ago. [Courtesy]

People around the Busia-Uganda border have developed resistance to anti-malaria drugs.

The Busia County government in partnership with National Malaria Programme and Impact Malaria will embark on a malaria treatment efficacy study next month to establish whether resistance to the AL drugs is an issue that cuts across Kenya and Uganda.  

Dickson Mwakangalu from Impact Malaria and PMI said the study will target children under five years, especially those exhibiting high fever and related symptoms.

"There is the possibility of some people from Busia Kenya being bitten by mosquitoes as they cross over to Busia-Uganda and vice versa, the reason why we want to be on top of the parasite and generate new evidence and science to help us keep working better," said Mwakangalu. 

Busia County Chief Officers of Medical Services Isaac Omeri said chloroquine was getting weaker as treatment on the face of other interventions available but his counterpart in Public Health Jonathan Ino blamed budgetary constraints on the health sector.

Busia County is determined to control malaria infections after 28 children developed complications, including paralysis, after a malaria injection at Akechelist dispensary in Teso North constituency in 2015.

Two years later, Busia Resident Magistrate Josephine Maragia awarded the victims Sh42.8 million as compensation. The court noted that the victims were not given proper diagnosis and treatment by a competent medical practitioner.

Busia is among eight counties in Western and Nyanza where Malaria vaccination was launched by World Health Organisation two years ago on a pilot basis.

Others are Kakamega, Vihiga, Busia, Bungoma, Siaya, Migori, Homa Bay, Kisumu and Migori counties.