First malaria drug for babies is approved in ‘major public health milestone’

The World Health Organization has approved Coartem Baby, the first malaria treatment specifically for newborns, marking a major public health milestone. Previously, there was no safe treatment for infants under six months, despite up to 18% in Africa being infected. The approval addresses a critical gap in combating malaria, which caused 610,000 deaths in 2024, primarily affecting under-fives in Africa.