Latest News:  

English>>Life & Culture

Chinese-made malaria drugs as good as western companies: pharmacist

(Xinhua)

09:42, January 09, 2013

(Xinhua)

DAR ES SALAAM, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- While having cheaper prices, the Chinese-made malaria drugs have the same effects with those made by the western companies, a Tanzanian pharmacist said on Tuesday.

Fayyaz Mohammedtaqi, chief of Pharmacy and Out Patient Services of Aga Khan Hospital, Dar es Salaam, said the hospital are now using two kind of Chinese-made malaria drugs -- Duo-Cotecxin made by Holley-Cotec and Artesun made by FosunPharma, both are Chinese companies.

"We have been using these two drugs for years, there's no complaints about them so far," he told Xinhua, "We have not seen any infection, we have not seen any failure of therapy."

Mohammedtaqi said, "We are using them to treat patients and the outcomes are good," adding that the Chinese-made drugs are as effective as those made by western companies, such as Coartem which is made by Novartis.

In the private sector in Tanzania, for one course of treatment, Duo-Cotecxin sells at a price of 12,000 to 14,000 Tanzanian shillings (7.5 to 8.75 U.S. dollars) while Coartem sells at nearly 20,000 Tanzanian shillings (about 12.5 U.S. dollars).

As the biggest private hospital in Tanzania, Aga Khan Hospital gets malaria drugs through the channel of private sectors. Once a drug was registered at the Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA) , the regulator of drugs in the country, the private sector can get access to it.

"Because we're buying directly from the listed dealers, we have never faced the problem" of fake drugs, he said.

In the public sector, the only way Chinese-made malaria drugs can get into Tanzania is through Chinese government's medical aid, said Dr Sigsberi Mkude, head of the Malaria Diagnosis and Treatment division of National Malaria Control Program (NMCP).

"It seems for the public sector it's very difficult to have fake drugs," Mkude said.

According to NMCP, the Chinese government provided over 400,000 doses of injections and pills as anti-malaria medical aid to Tanzanian in 2012.

We recommend:

Rare photos of Shaolin monks revealed

Breath-taking moments of top female stars

A romantic proposal during Xiamen marathon

Mouth-watering! Tasty breakfast around world

Top 20 Chinese beauties favored by netizens

How sweet! Look at these adorable angels

2012's top 10 cinematic sensations

Top 10 China fashion moments 2012

2012's most hilarious photos of cute animals

Email|Print|Comments(Editor:杜明明、叶欣)

Related Reading

Leave your comment0 comments

  1. Name

  

Selections for you


  1. PLA Special Forces in field training

  2. Mechanized infantry division in drills

  3. Selected Xinhua int'l news pictures of the year 2012 (II)

  4. Birds in aviary of Hong Kong Park

  5. 2012 year in review: Say goodbye

  6. China is Asia's top investment destination

  7. Take a bite of delicious specials in China

  8. Something about nature

Most Popular

Opinions

  1. Cold War mentality fuels US prejudice
  2. Fewer satisfied with their lives in 2012
  3. Enlightenment from a 'millionaire' cleaner
  4. Is there hope for Chinese football?
  5. Men to wives: Earn more, but still less than I do
  6. Foreign aid,NOT enough for Chinese soccer
  7. Reliance on land sales 'must be reformed'
  8. Heroism, a matter unrelated to wealth
  9. 'Chinese Fortune Grandpa' VS 'Santa Claus'
  10. China Voice: Blind eyes are deadlier than blazes

What’s happening in China

1.8 million students have taken NEEP. What motivate them to continue study rather than work?

  1. Leak scandal company ordered to halt
  2. Gales, high waves strand 27 at Xisha Islands
  3. China's charities hit by lack of trust
  4. Death sentence for sex pest
  5. One dead, one injured in SW China's metro