New drug to cut kala-azar treatment by half

By Standard Correspondent

Kala-azar patients in East Africa can now breath a sigh of relief following the development of a new combination of drugs to fight the disease.

Collaboration across the region through the Leishmaniasis East Africa Platform (Leap) has resulted in the development of a new combination therapy, SSG&PM, which is cheaper and nearly halves the length of treatment from the usual 30-day injections course to 17 days.

East African countries are taking the necessary regulatory measures to use it in their programmes, but experts warn that without international funding or government support in the roll out, few patients will benefit.

"The poor in the most remote villages are the ones who are wasting away from kala-azar. They are the ones who will benefit the most from a shorter more affordable treatment," said Dr Monique Wasunna, Assistant Director, Kenya Medical Research Institute, and head, DNDi Africa.

"The patients are neglected and this means that even when there are new treatments they are too far from the headlines and donor priorities to get support. This is why we are calling for urgent action."

In Kenya, kala-azar is prevalent in Pokot, Baringo, Garissa, Teso and parts of Turkana. Over 100 clinical researchers and regional experts from Ministries of Health and Drug regulatory authorities met for the bi-annual Leishmaniasis East Africa Platform in Nairobi recently to find better ways of controlling the disease.