Artemisinin resistance – A race against time

In May 2025, health officials from African countries where malaria is endemic and their international partners called for enhanced action to combat resistance to antimalarial drugs, a growing challenge that threatens to undermine hard-won progress in the fight against one of Africa’s deadliest diseases.
Held on the sidelines of the 78th World Health Assembly in Rwanda, this high-level gathering highlighted the urgent need for coordinated action to contain the spread of resistance to first-line antimalarial drugs.
‘Resistance to antimalarial drugs is a threat to all communities on this continent,’ said Dr Sabin Nsanzimana, Rwanda’s Minister of Health. “It requires a common response based on science, solidarity and speed. ”
The side event brought together a powerful coalition of co-organisers, including Eritrea, Ethiopia, Namibia, South Sudan, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania and Zambia. Supporting partners included the World Health Organisation (WHO), Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). Combating resistance to antimalarial drugs is a key public health priority, particularly in the African region, which bears 95% of the global burden of malaria. According to the latest WHO World Malaria Report, four countries in East Africa – Eritrea, Rwanda, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania – have confirmed the presence of partial resistance to artemisinin, the main compound in the most effective treatments for P. falciparum malaria. Resistance is also suspected in other countries, including Ethiopia, Namibia, Sudan and Zambia.
Drug resistance is due to several factors, such as the use of substandard or counterfeit medicines and failure to complete treatment courses. Protecting the effectiveness of artemisinin-based antimalarial drugs is now a race against time. Given the heavy reliance on artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) in Africa, a complete failure of treatment could have very serious consequences.