West Africa: Safe alternative treatment for malaria in pregnancy

Researchers have unveiled a safe and effective treatment for pregnant women suffering from malaria in West Africa. Trials carried out in Ghana showed that treating pregnant women with the drug amodiaquine, either alone or in combination with sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP), can almost completely wipe out malaria parasites without causing any serious side effects. But the researchers say that further tests are needed to assess the risks of the combination treatment.