Why in News? 

Switzerland has approved the world’s first malaria drug specifically for newborns, marking a major breakthrough in the fight against infant malaria. 

Key Details About the Drug 

• Drug Name: Coartem Dispersible (New Infant Formulation) 
• Manufacturer: Novartis 
• Target Group: Newborns and very young children 
• Approved By: Swiss Regulatory Authorities 
• Global Need 
  • Over 500,000 deaths due to malaria were reported worldwide in 2023. 
  • A majority of these deaths occurred in children under five, mainly in Africa. 

What is Malaria? 

• Malaria is an acute febrile illness caused by Plasmodium parasites. 
• It is life-threatening but preventable and curable. 
• Most common in tropical and subtropical regions. 

How it Spreads 

• Malaria is not contagious (does not spread from person to person). 
• It spreads through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito. 
• Five species of Plasmodium can infect humans. 
  • Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax are the most dangerous. 

Malaria-Free Countries (Certified by WHO since 2015) 

• Asia: Maldives, Sri Lanka 
• Europe/Central Asia: Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan 
• South America: Paraguay, Argentina 
• Africa: Algeria 
• Others: China (2021), El Salvador (2021)