Over 168 village health workers and traditional birth attendants on Tuesday, August 5, concluded a three-day training on the dosage schedule of Coartem, (artemether and lumefantrine) in six training sites: Kudang, Brikamaba, Bansang, Karantaba, Kuntaur and Kaur, all in the Central River Region.

Coartem is the new drug used for treatment of malaria. The training was organised by the CRR regional health management team and funded by the Global Fund through the National Malaria Control Program office.

In his opening remarks, the regional health officer, Mr Karamba F Keita said, the purpose of the training was to equip the Village Health Workers (VHWs) and Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) on the dosage of coartem, as the VHWS and TBAS are the home based carers.  

He explained that the inexpensive anti-malaria drug, chloroquine, which for many years has saved millions of lives, has lost its efficacy because the malaria parasite has become resistant to it.  

Keita asserted that coartem is a potent anti-malarial drug, and rapidly clears the blood of parasites.  He urged the participants to prescribe the dosage properly.