Nigerians who shy away from swallowing numerous drug tablets in a single dose of treatment, can now heave a sigh of relief, as the new 24- hour malaria drug, Artequick entered the Nigerian market.

Artequick, manufactured by Artepharm Co. Ltd. China and marketed by Trusted Pharmacy & Chemist of West Africa Ltd. Artequick is a new generation of ACT combining Artemisinin and Piperaquine as its potent ingredients.

According to the producers, it makes consumer compliance very easy. Speaking at a media presentation of the drug, General Manager, Artepharm Co. Ltd., China, Pan Longhua said the product was out to prevent drug resistance. As a short regimen drug, specifically a four-tablet dosage, he said compliance was achievable for consumers.

Longhua stated that apart from preventing drug resistance to the comprised number of tablets for a treatment dose, the general manager described the drug as a quick action, high efficacy and low toxicity medication.

“While Artequick has few side effects of less than three per cent, its efficacy is as high as 98 per cent,” he stated. The drug is registered by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC.

It was gathered that the inventor of Artequick, Prof. Li Guoquiao “is engaging in promoting a new strategy of malaria control in Africa and Asia: Fast Elimination of Malaria by Source Eradication (FEMSE), in malaria endemic countries such as Cambodia and Comoros.”Pilot projects of FEMSE in these countries have achieved significant successes.” Some pilot study was similarly conducted on Artequick in some parts of Northern Nigerian communities.

According to him, the aim of Guoquiao is not just to control malaria, but to eliminate the disease from the world.