WHO Approves First Malaria Drug for Newborn Babies
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The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved the first malaria treatment developed specifically for newborns and infants weighing between 2 and 5 kilograms, opening a new chapter in the fight against one of the world's deadliest diseases.
First Malaria Medicine for Newborns
WHO announced the prequalification of the new artemether-lumefantrine formulation on April 24, 2026, ahead of World Malaria Day. The approval confirms the medicine meets international standards for quality, safety and effectiveness.
The treatment targets newborns and young infants who previously had no malaria medicine tailored to their weight.
Around 30 million babies are born each year in malaria-endemic countries, most of them in Africa, where the disease remains a leading cause of illness and death among children.
Before the approval, health workers relied on adjusted doses of medicines designed for older children. That approach increased the risk of under-dosing, overdosing, toxicity and poor treatment outcomes.
“For centuries, malaria has stolen children from their parents, and health, wealth and hope from communities,” WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
“But today, the story is changing. New vaccines, diagnostic tests, next-generation mosquito nets and effective medicines, including those adapted for the youngest, are helping to turn the tide. Ending malaria in our lifetime is no longer a dream – it is a real possibility.”
WHO Unveils New Malaria Tests
WHO also approved three rapid diagnostic tests that detect the pf-LDH parasite protein.
The new tests address weaknesses in existing HRP2-based tests, which can miss infections when malaria parasites lose the HRP2 gene.
According to WHO, HRP2-based tests have failed to detect up to 80 percent of malaria cases in some parts of the Horn of Africa. The new diagnostics aim to improve early detection and speed up treatment.
Malaria Still Claims Thousands
The World Malaria Report 2025 estimates there were 282 million malaria cases and 610,000 deaths worldwide in 2024.
The report attributes slower progress to drug resistance, insecticide resistance, diagnostic challenges and funding shortages. Despite those obstacles, malaria control efforts have prevented about 2.3 billion infections and 14 million deaths since 2000.
Kenya Steps Up Malaria Fight
Kenya continues to strengthen its malaria control programme through insecticide-treated mosquito nets, indoor residual spraying, rapid testing and community awareness campaigns.
Health authorities have focused many of these interventions in western Kenya and the Lake Basin, where malaria remains highly prevalent.
Officials have also called for greater investment in surveillance, stronger health systems and continued research to tackle emerging threats, including resistance to medicines and insecticides, as well as climate-related changes that influence malaria transmission.
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