A new clinical trial of a drug called ‘TriAntiMal’ on malaria treatment is underway in Bugesera district in Eastern Province of Rwanda, to contribute towards eliminating malaria in the East African nation.
Developed by Dr. Jerry Thornthwaite, renowned leading chemist, clinical trial sponsor and lead researcher from the US, TriAntiMal is the first treatment of the kind for Malaria in Rwanda.
The trial was approved by Rwanda Food and Drug Administration, under the assistance of Serge Gasore co-founder of Rwanda Children.
Thirteen participants were accepted to take part in the trial taking place both in Bugesera district hospital and Nyamata Health Center..
According to the report, in less than just a week none of the participants is showing advanced effects from the medicine and everyone’s malaria parasite count is said to be decreasing as well.
Serge Gasore, is hopeful that the potential benefits from TriAntiMa are huge not only for Rwanda but Africa in general.
“If the current trial proves successful, malaria will potentially be eradicated forever! The implication of this for Rwanda Children’s mission is immense since children are at the heart of our mission” Gasore who reached out to FDC for the project approval said.
On the Rwandan side of the clinical trial, Dr. William Rutagengwa is serving as the Principal Investigator (head of the trial), while Sabine Mbabazi from Rwanda Children, is collaborating in the clinical trial with the medical center.
According to the latest World malaria report, released on 30 November 2020, there were 229 million cases of malaria in 2019 compared to 228 million cases in 2018.
In Rwanda, stats have reduced from 4.6 million in 2016 to 3.5 million in 2019 countrywide, while the percentage of malaria deaths has reduced by 60%.
The low deaths rates is attributed to government interventions through distribution of treated bed nets, training community health workers on treating malaria among adults and the use of unmanned aerial solutions-
