The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7206 p47
13 July 2002

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Malaria campaign running in south London pharmacies

Sixty community pharmacies across Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham in south London are taking part in a campaign warning travellers of the risk of catching malaria while travelling abroad. Each year, about 2,000 people return to the United Kingdom with malaria and 15 per cent of them live in the three Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham primary care trust areas.

Tony Carson, the community pharmacy development manager who organised the campaign, said: "As well as giving out leaflets and health advice, the pharmacists will refer any person to their GP if they think it is necessary and will record any malaria-related advice they give out or prescription intervention they make during the campaign." This will allow the campaign to be reviewed to see whether it has been successful or not.

Participating pharmacies are also displaying posters in their windows and providing information leaflets. Payments to the pharmacies from the PCTs range from £100 to £300 depending on the size of the poster displayed.

Ash Soni, a participating community pharmacist, said: "We are not just focusing on the appropriate use of chemoprophylaxis. We advise people that the best way to prevent malaria is to avoid being bitten in the first place."

Viv Cleary, the local public health specialist for communicable diseases, said: "We looked at the figures, saw there was a problem and realised that prescribing antimalarial medicine on the NHS was one of the key tools in tackling the problem. As well as preventing an illness that can kill in the worst cases, we know that the prevention of the disease makes sound economic sense as the cost of treating a disease that can keep returning throughout someone's life far outweighs the initial outlay."