Beijing Holley-Cotec Pharmaceuticals launched the East Africa Logistics Centre in Nairobi last week shortly before the Chinese President Hu Jintao visited the country. Company’s top managers committed themselves to distribute anti-malarial drugs in the African continent.

"It is a Chinese government’s project, which has been initiated as a result of the prevalence of malaria in African," said HolleyPharm President Lu Jintao who officiated the function at a Nairobi hotel.

"We want to achieve in Africa what we have done in my country where the number of malaria cases has dropped drastically after the anti-malarial drug was made more affordable to the ordinary citizens."

Holley-Cotec manufactures, markets and distributes pharmaceutical drugs, notably Cotecxin that has been used for decades as a single dose to fight malaria in the world’s most populated country.

The company entered the African market in 1993 and has since opened offices in Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria and Uganda. The establishment of the East Africa Logistic Centre in Nairobi will act as a centre to distribute anti-malarial medicine to the private and public sectors at a much lower cost than current market prices.

Holley-Cotec recently announced the introduction of Duo-Cotecxin, a combination that conforms to the recent directive by the ministry of Health on malaria treatment.

During the malaria day celebrations marked last week, director of medical services, Dr James Nyikal, announced the introduction of Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) as the first line of treatment for malaria. He said the sulphur-based drugs like Metakelfin and Fanasidar used previously was no longer effective as the malaria strains had developed resistance.

The fight against malaria that is a killer disease mainly among children below five years got a boost when the Chinese President announced a Sh40 million anti-malarial drug donation. - eastandard