Last Friday, the University of São Tomé and Príncipe (USTP) gave a lecture on malaria knowledge on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the introduction of artemisinin to treat the illness. It was organized by the Chinese Consultative Office of Malaria Control Areas in partnership with the Confucius Institute of USTP and the National Center for Endemic Diseases (CNE) of São Tomé and Príncipe.

Presided by the Chinese director of the Confucius Institute of USTP, Bai Mengxuan, the lecture was given by the Chinese specialist, Guo Wenfeng, as well as the representative of the CNE, Wadmeide Martins.

According to the Chinese expert, artemisinin and its derivatives are the fastest-acting anti-plasmodium falciparum medications of all the current drugs. Guo Wenfeng also discussed the preventive approaches, putting particular attention on procedures targeted at eradicating the disease-transmitting mosquito as well as prevention using impregnated mosquito nets.