Kakooza (right) addresses journalists as Pecoul gestures

By Conan Businge

THE World Health Organisation has unveiled a new, improved and readily accessible drug for sleeping sickness.

Bernard Pecoul, the executive director of the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), yesterday announced that sleeping sickness patients in Uganda will soon access Nifurtimoc-Eflornithine Combination Therapy.

Until now, DNDi has reported that sleeping sickness patients in Uganda have been taking the Melarsoprol drug, which is painful while being injected in the body and is used every six hours for two weeks.

Sleeping sickness threatens 60 million people in 36 countries across sub-Saharan Africa. In Uganda, about 10 million people are at risk of being infected.

WHO coordinator Dr. Jean Jannin explained that the new drug consists of a simplified co-administration of oral Nifurtimox and injectable Eflornithine. It is prescribed for patients in the advanced stage of sleeping sickness.

This stage affects the patient’s central nervous system and causes convulsions and serious sleep disruptions, leading to a coma or death. The new drug has fewer side effects, is more effective and cheaper than the one which has been on the market for the last 25 years in Africa.

Jannin, made the disclosure while addressing journalists at the Speke Commonwealth Resort, Munyonyo yesterday. He was flanked by health state minister James Kakooza and the DR Congo health adviser, Constantin Bilenge.

The DNDi, in a statement, explained that the new drug “reduces the number of intravenous infusions of Eflornithine from 56 to 14 and shortens hospitalisation from 14 days to 10.” This makes treatment, more convenient for patients.
The drug requires only two infusions in a day, and is administered during the day time, making it easy to use.

Bilenge, whose country has already used the drug, said: “As a doctor, you do not treat someone to see them die. You treat them to see them go home.”

Kakooza pledged the Government’s commitment in working with the global health body to boost the treatment and prevention of sleeping sickness.