Rolling back malaria
In collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and other organizations, Novartis is providing the pioneering anti-malarial medicine Coartem® on a non-profit basis for public-sector use in developing countries where the disease is endemic. Funding for countries to purchase Coartem is channeled through The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria at no cost to endemic countries.
“Effective drugs are available now, but solving the problem of malaria is much more than just a question of drug availability. Malaria-endemic countries are facing a lack of physicians and nurses; the lack of an efficient distribution system and other preventive steps, such as treated bednets against unnecessary infection. Governments, health ministries, international organizations and industry all have roles to play in addressing and resolving this challenge.”
Dr. Daniel Vasella, Chairman and CEO, Novartis
In 2006, Novartis announced a significant reduction in the average price of Coartem for public sector use. The compelling need for an inexpensive and highly effective malaria treatment in low-income countries - plus the dramatic increase achieved in our production capacity - prompted our decision to decrease the price of Coartem.
As a result, the WHO and other organizations such as UNICEF and Médecins Sans Frontières can now become even more effective in rolling back malaria. This price reduction is expected to have the greatest impact on children, who suffer disproportionately from malaria. Nearly 75% of all malaria patients taking Coartem are children and adolescents.
In 2007, Novartis delivered 66 million Coartem treatments - a 16-fold rise from the 4 million treatments delivered in 2004. Production capacity for Coartem is even higher - 100 million treatments - and could be utilized if demand exceeds current projections and orders are received in a timely manner.
In April 2007, on Africa Malaria Day, Novartis delivered 4.7 million treatments of Coartem to the United Republic of Tanzania, an African country where malaria is the leading cause of death in both children and adults.
Read about how Coartem is gaining momentum in Africa.