Guidelines for the Treatment of Malaria

by World Health Organization

Malaria control requires an integrated approach, including prevention (primarily vector control) and prompt treatment with effective antimalarials. Since the publication of the first edition of these Guidelines in 2006, most of the countries where P. Falciparum is endemic have progressively updated treatment policies from the failing chloroquine and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine to the recommended artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs); this is the best current treatment for uncomplicated falciparum malaria. Unfortunately, the implementation of these policies has lagged behind due to various factors like high costs.

The second edition of these Guidelines provides simple and straightforward treatment recommendations based on sound evidence that can be applied even in severely resource-constrained settings. The number of antimalarial drug trials published has continued to increase over the years, so the Guidelines have a firmer evidence base than previous treatment recommendations.

Since the release of the first edition, the WHO standard methods for guidelines development has evolved and this second edition was developed in accordance with the updated WHO standards methods for guidelines development. This methodology incorporates a transparent link between research evidence and recommendations. The GRADE system, which has been incorporated into this update, is a uniform approach being widely adopted globally.

194 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2006

About the author

The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that is concerned with international public health. It was established on 7 April 1948, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The WHO is a member of the United Nations Development Group. Its predecessor, the Health Organization, was an agency of the League of Nations.

The constitution of the World Health Organization had been signed by 61 countries on 22 July 1946, with the first meeting of the World Health Assembly finishing on 24 July 1948. It incorporated the Office international d'hygiène publique and the League of Nations Health Organization. Since its creation, it has played a leading role in the eradication of smallpox. Its current priorities include communicable diseases, in particular HIV/AIDS, Ebola, malaria and tuberculosis; the mitigation of the effects of non-communicable diseases; sexual and reproductive health, development, and aging; nutrition, food security and healthy eating; occupational health; substance abuse; and driving the development of reporting, publications, and networking.

The WHO is responsible for the World Health Report, a leading international publication on health, the worldwide World Health Survey, and World Health Day (7 April of every year)