---

Dept for International Development

Answer

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of shortages identified by the United Nations of artemisinin-based combination therapy used in the treatment of malaria. [198776] Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID is guided by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on this subject. The WHO has indicated a shortfall in global supplies of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT), the most effective medicines available to treat drug resistant malaria, until March 2005. The shortfall is caused by a recent four-fold increase in demand as more countries adopt ACT as first line treatment. 40 countries, 20 in Africa, have adopted ACT since 2001. The rapid increase in demand has created temporary pressure on availability in the market. There is insufficient supply of the key ingredient, artemether, from largely, its Chinese suppliers. Artemether is derived from artemisinin, a raw material extracted from the plant Artemisia annua. Chinese suppliers are scaling up production and efforts are underway to cultivate the plant in East Africa however cultivation requires a minimum of six months with extraction, processing and manufacturing of the final product requiring an additional three to five months. The UK and other agencies have encouraged the Chinese authorities to support cultivation in Africa through providing seed stocks. The WHO is recommending that all countries facing shortages increase procurement of their second-line anti-malarial treatment, which is generally quinine. The WHO will provide technical assistance to any country facing interrupted supply of ACT and will provide regular information on expected quantities available, and delivery schedules. The WHO will also establish a system to prioritize between requests for ACT. A number of countries are in the process of changing drugs policies and are likely to put plans on hold temporarily. The active ingredient within artemisinin has been identified and it is likely that chemical synthesis will replace reliance on cultivation within the next decade. DFID supports programmes in many African countries to provide insecticide treated bed nets to the vulnerable and also supports efforts to strengthen health systems in malaria-affected countries.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

198776; 426 c1723-4W;426 c1727-8W

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Medical treatments Prescription drugs Procurement Shortages Malaria