Managing severe malaria
If the malaria illness has already developed past the early ‘uncomplicated’ stages the patient should be hospitalized. Artesunate suppositories are available for the pre-referral treatment of severely ill patients who present at peripheral health facilities, which do not have in-patient facilities. Until recently quinine was the first-line treatment for severe falciparum malaria, but current WHO guidelines state that intravenous artesunate should now be used in preference to quinine followed by a complete course of ACT. While quinine remains a highly effective drug for the treatment of severe malaria it has unpleasant side effects and so is best avoided, except where artemisinin resistance has been documented.
This table gives an overview of the recommended control approaches including case management in the Asia-Pacific region
Malaria recommended interventions by country
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
on malaria diagnosis, treatment and drug resistance