Congo

As poor people in Congo shun costly malaria remedies, deaths are being caused by erroneous self-medication and poor diagnosis by unauthorized medical practitioners. "As in many other professions there are people working in the health system who aren't properly qualified; this is hindering the anti-malaria campaign because of incorrect diagnosis," said Serge Bouka, director of the Makelekele hospital in Brazzaville. Even when the diagnosis is correct, malaria sufferers risk being prescribed outdated remedies by non-licensed practitioners. Cheap and widely available chloroquine-based treatments have saved countless lives, but strains of malaria have now become resistant. (IRIN)