Economic Evaluations - Term Paper Example

Effectiveness of Quinine in Management of Malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa Introduction In most parts of sub-Saharan Africa, malaria isa major cause of inpatient admittances and death in inpatient wards in spite of reported reduced transmission. The guidelines for first-line management of chronic malaria become important aspects in determining malaria deaths. The major requirement depicting the selection f treatment is the efficiency of the treatment method. In addition to the efficacy, the treatment method should have the capability of frail health systems to maintain its regular use.

In most parts of sub-Saharan Africa, per-capita health spending remains exceptionally low. Estimates indicate that the cost of inpatient care for a case of chronic malaria ranges between US$ 12 and US$ 75 and this creates a substantial burden on inadequate resource base (Lubell et al., 2011). Effectiveness of Quinine in Management of Malaria in Sub-Saharan AfricaFor al long time, Quinine continues to be vital the treatment of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa as well as other malaria prevalent areas.

Contemporary studies indicate that in Uganda, doctors prescribed Quinine in approximately ninety percent of children under the age of five years diagnosed with mild malaria. These studies also indicate that the administration of Quinine in these children helped to reduce mortality to up to forty five percent from sixty seven percent (Achan et al., 2011). Quinine not only helps in managing mild malaria cases but it also remains the most widely used drug to treat severe malaria in sub-Saharan Africa.

Parenteral quinine is very cheap since it costs only US$ 0.27 per ampoule and is extensively accessible in health systems across Africa. Its administration occurs either intravenously or intramuscularly, three times daily (Lubell et al., 2011).Quinine dispensed intravenously or with the direction of a study doctor for a 7-day period is an extremely successful treatment in sub-Saharan Africa, attaining cure rates of roughly 90%. However, the major impediment for efficient quinine therapy might be compliance to the full treatment course.

In addition, Quinine imposes considerable side effects predominantly in extended treatment courses (Adegnika et al., 2005).Assessments of various quinine dosage routines have exposed fascinating trends even with seven-day treatment periods. For instance, doses of 10 mg/kg/day administered twice per day for 7 days often displayed failures of treatment in day 28 with high rates approximately 30%. In addition, increasing the quinine prescribed amount to 15 mg/kg per day or 20 mg/kg daily enhanced treatment effects, with rates of failure occurring at 8% and 14%.

However, there is much concern of likelihood of augmented toxicity with high dosages. The recommended administration of this drug in Sub-Saharan Africa that can reduce mortality rates in a great deal is 10 mg/kg daily for 7 days. This pattern of administration reduces the severity of malaria and also reduces the occurrence of associated infections by a high percentage (Achan et al., 2011).In a comprehensive study in some parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, results revealed that quinine administered patients produced a mortality rate of, 10.

9% while those administered with an alternative drug (artesunate) produced a mortality rate of 8.5%. On the other hand the study revealed that use of quinine was cheaper compared to administration of artesunate. In this regard, the standard cost of a packed treatment period with quinine, until the patient can take oral drugs, was merely over US$ 1.3, compared with a standard cost of US$ 3.3 in artesunate treatment. However, in the case of intravenous administered quinine, the cost is a bit higher since quinine this method occurs as a mixture, compared to artesunate, which occurs as a bolus injection.

In addition, even though parenteral quinine is less costly, it encompasses only a segment of the total costs of incurred in inpatient care (Lubell et al., 2011).ConclusionAlthough many doctors in Sub-Saharan Africa deem quinine as the most effective drug in the treatment of malaria, its cost effectiveness varies widely. It is evident that the administration of Quinine in Sub-Saharan Africa reduces severity of malaria to up to 90 percent of cases. Although its cost is relatively low, other studies indicated that it was not very effective compared to other alternative drugs such as artesunate.

ReferencesAchan, J. et al. (2011). Quinine, an Old Anti-Malarial Drug in a Modern World: Role in the Treatment of Malaria. Malaria Journal, 10, 144-155.Adegnika, A.A. et al. (2005). Effectiveness of Quinine Monotherapy for the Treatment of Plasmodium Falciparum Infection in Pregnant Women in Gabon. American Journal of Tropical Medicine, 73, 2, 263-266. Lubell, Y. et al. (2011). Cost-effectiveness of Parenteral Artesunate for Treating Children with Severe Malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 89, 504-512.