According to the World Health Organization report on malaria, Nigeria has the highest burden of malaria globally, accounting for nearly 27% of the global malaria burden.
The risk of malaria transmission exists all year round. Malaria is a major public health issue in Nigeria with an estimated 68 million cases and 194,000 deaths.
However, the incidence of malaria is highest in the northern and northeastern parts of the country.
Despite the malaria epidemic, Nigeria loses N75.5 billion on each cycle of malaria treatment according to a leading biotechnology and genetic engineering professor.
A breakdown of costs by Nairametrics showed that of the 68 million cases, an average Nigerian spends an average of 2000 naira for uncomplicated malaria totaling 136 billion naira annually: and spends an average of 20,000 naira for complicated malaria totaling 1.36 trillion naira annually.
Nairametrics has ranked the most expensive antimalarial medicines available in Nigeria.
- Camosunate adult
Price range: N1500- N2100
Camosunate Adult is a common anti-malaria brand which has a unique combination of Artesunate and Amodiaquine. It is used to treat uncomplicated malaria attacks including multi-drug resistance of Plasmodium falciparum. It is marketed by Geneith Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
- Artequick tablets
Price range: N2000-N2100
Artequick tablets are manufactured by a Chinese pharmaceutical company, Artepharm Co. Ltd. Artequick contains Artemisinin and Piperaquine. It is used to treat uncomplicated malaria.
- P-alaxin tablets
Price range: N1300-N2500
P-Alaxin tablets is manufactured by Indian pharmaceutical company, BLISS CVS PHARMA Ltd and marketed by Greenlife Pharmaceuticals, Nigeria. P-alaxin is an artemisinin-based therapy used to treat malaria.
- Amatem forte soft gel
Price range: N2500-N3000
Amatem softgel capsules are used for the treatment of Plasmodium falciparum malaria cases resistant to chloroquine and sulphadoxine and pyrimethamine combination. It is manufactured in India by Olive Healthcare and marketed by Elbe Pharma Nigeria Limited.
- Lonart DS
Price range: N2500-N3500
Lonart DS tablets are used to treat malaria including multi-drug resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum. It is manufactured by Indian Pharmaceuticals, BLISS GVS PHARMA Ltd and marketed in Nigeria by Greenlife Pharmaceuticals.
- Coartem
Price range: N3500-N5000
Coartem is a product of the Swiss-based pharmaceutical giant, Novartis. It is used to treat uncomplicated malaria.
- Paludrine tablets
Price range: N2000 –N2500 per sachet. Patients may require up to 3 sachets or more.
Paludrine belongs to the antimalarials and is used to prevent malaria. It is manufactured by a global company, Alliance Pharmaceuticals.
- E mal injection
Price range: N4000-N6000
E mal injection is used to treat uncomplicated malaria. It is manufactured by Nigeria’s pharmaceutical company, Fidson Healthcare.
- Artequin adult tablets
Price range: N10,000-N20,000
Artequin tablets are manufactured by Switzerland-based pharmaceutical company, Acino. It is used to treat malaria which is resistant to other anti-malaria drugs.
- Malanil
Price range: N50,000-N55,000
Malanil tablets are fixed-dose combination medicines used to treat and prevent malaria, including chloroquine-resistant malaria. It is manufactured by British-based pharmaceutical giant, GlaxoSmithKline popularly known as GSK.
[Nairametrics]