Researchers at the University of Cape Town have announced that they have made a huge breakthrough in research for a cure for malaria. They discovered a compound that has the potential to cure malaria in a single dose.
An effective treatment for malaria would have the potential to considerably boost tourism to the continent as the fear of contracting the disease remains a major deterrent to many tourists.
So far, the drug has had a 100% success rate on animals. The next step in the research is to prepare the compound for human trials.
In addition to treating the disease, the compound might be able to block transmission of the parasite from person to person and could potentially lead to the eradication of the malaria altogether.
"This will be a gift from South Africa to the rest of the continent," Science and Technology Minister, Naledi Pandor, said when she announced the exciting news at a press meeting in Cape Town last week.
If the compound is successful, it is expected to be available on the market by 2020.
Dorine Reinstein
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