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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Kat Lay, Global health correspondent

First malaria drug for babies is approved in ‘major public health milestone’

A woman and a baby
Baby Wonder, pictured with his mother, Naomi, was among the first patients to receive the drug. Photograph: Nana Kofi Acquah/Novartis

The first malaria treatment for babies has been approved by the World Health Organization, opening the door to widespread use around the globe.

In parts of Africa, up to 18% of children under six months will be infected with malaria, but there has historically been no safe treatment for the smallest of them. There were 610,000 deaths from malaria in 2024, about three quarters of which were under-fives in Africa.

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