Chinese Company Wipes Out Malaria in Comoros in One Go
In the backdrop of China’s significant contributions to fighting the Ebola outbreak in West Africa (and yet be on the receiving end of unfair criticism from both uninformed Africans and Western media organizations, institutions, and governments), here is a prime example of Chinese companies trying to some good in Africa but getting panned for it.
On the tiny and desperately poor island country of Comoros sandwiched between the Southeast Africa coast and Madagascar, the scourge of malaria plagues the entire population. In partnership with the Comoran government, Chinese pharmaceutical company Artepharm has given doses of its malaria-fighting drug Artequick to over 700,000 people in a bid to wipe out the deadly disease on the islands completely. The drug has not been approved by international health organizations and the company is touting its success in Comoros to market to the rest of Africa.
This one-off mass administration campaign has virtually wiped out malaria there but because side effects have affected a very small segment of recipients, some Comorans are now complaining why the Chinese hadn’t given food and other aid instead. The WHO also got into the fray accusing Artepharm workers of insensitivity in their investigations of side effects as well as suggesting that a malaria-free Comoros could rob the people of their built-up immunity to malaria thereby creating conditions for an epidemic if the disease ever found its way back to the islands.
Well, you can’t have the cake and eat it too!
If the drug saves the country over US$11 million in medical treatment costs and contributes to stability in the country, the mass drug administration should be considered to have done a public good for the Comoros. The WHO is undoubtedly busy with its public health concerns around the world but there may be an element of sour grapes involved, having not thought of the seemingly incredible idea of eliminating the disease in one fell swoop. Having said this, the company probably should have done a better PR and treatment job in their handling of side effect issues.
Another issue has to do with market competition between Chinese pharmaceutical companies, the new kids on the block, and entrenched Western giants that don’t take kindly to Chinese corporate encroachments onto their traditional turf. Coartem, a rival to Artequick produced by Dutch company Novartis, is also vying for the African market and some bad publicity for Artepharm and its campaign on Comoros doesn’t do Novartis any harm.
Comoros Vice President Fouad Mhadji and Minister of Health dismissed criticism of the mass drug administration as propaganda fueled by Western rivals to the Chinese drug maker. “Why is Artequick bad? It is because it is sold by China,” Mr Mhadji told CBS.
The article and accompanying video report can be seen at: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/chinas-test-malaria-drug-artequick-experiment-on-population-of-comoros/
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