The World Health Organization (WHO) took action to prevent malaria deaths and improve accessibility to solutions.
The first diagnostic test for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency was prequalified by WHO in December “which can help to safely deliver WHO-recommended treatments to prevent relapse of Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax) infection,” according to a WHO announcement.
This action followed another “prequalification, in early December, of two new tafenoquine products for anti-relapse treatment of P. vivax malaria, and these therapeutics were recommended in updated WHO malaria guidelines released a few days earlier, in late November.”
Additionally, “the STANDARD G6PD System diagnostic tool manufactured by SD Biosensor, Inc., is a semi-quantitative, near-patient solution designed for the measurement of G6PD enzyme activity in capillary or venous whole blood. The device is intended for use in both laboratory and non-laboratory settings and operates with the STANDARD G6PD Analyzer, a hand-held device, delivering results in a few minutes.”
