RWAMAGANA – Medics from different health facilities in the country on Monday agreed to take a firm stand against prescribing malaria medicine before diagnosis.

The decision was reached in Rwamagana district at the end of a 5-day training on new ways of treating malaria infections. 

One of the trainers, Dunia Munyakanage, a medical doctor at Rwinkwavu Hospital, said "some people are fond of treating malaria basing on symptoms, only to discover that the patient has a different disease. Such a situation is bad because it also creates drug resistance.”

Solange Umulisa, a nurse at Nyamata Hospital, noted that children and women are more vulnerable because most of them especially in rural areas don’t seek medical consultation.

"Rural women need to be sensitised against buying medicine from unlicensed outlets,” she said.

Angelique Uwamahoro, 35, a mother of three, said there is need for malaria medicine especially for children to be made more accessible to prevent people from resorting to traditional medicine.

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