WHO Prequalifies First G6PD Test to Boost Safe Treatment of P. vivax Malaria

The World Health Organization (WHO) has prequalified the initial diagnostic test for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, which can assist in the safe administration of WHO-approved treatments to prevent recurrence of Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax) infection. The prequalification of this G6PD diagnostic test represents an important achievement in enabling safe and effective treatment for P. vivax malaria, reinforcing WHO’s commitment to providing equitable access to life-saving health solutions worldwide. Approximately 500,000 individuals lose their lives annually to malaria, with a majority being children.

The prequalification for this test came right after the early December prequalification of two new tafenoquine products aimed at anti-relapse treatment for P. vivax malaria. These treatments were endorsed in updated WHO malaria guidelines published just days earlier, in late November. This set of actions by WHO illustrates the organization's recent implementation of coordinated and simultaneous processes for two main functions: formulating guidelines for essential health products and managing their prequalification.

Although these processes are completely separate, their coordination seeks to greatly decrease the time needed to deliver essential health products to low- and lower-middle-income nations. This efficient strategy highlights WHO’s dedication to enhancing global health equity by speeding up access to essential life-saving products.

P. vivax malaria is prevalent in all WHO Regions except for the European Region, with an estimated 9.2 million reported clinical cases in 2023. P. vivax is the primary malaria parasite in many nations beyond sub-Saharan Africa.