Cost of Treating Malaria on the Thai-Myanmar Border

Conclusion

This study finds no evidence for a difference in total economic cost of care between inpatients treated with quinine and those treated with artesunate, despite substantial differences in drug prices. This analysis has certain limitations including small sample size, the age of the data used and the use of hospital price list as a proxy for health system costs. Nevertheless, the global uptake (or lack thereof) is of major importance in global health. This study, with its limitations, suggests that financial considerations should not prevent the switch from quinine to artesunate for the treatment of malaria admissions.