The Ministry of Health and the National Malaria Center launched a new weapon

Tuesday in the fight against the killer disease - pre-packaged 'blisterpacks' of

mefloquine and artesunate tablets. Dr Jan Rozendal, malaria advisor with the

CMCP, explained that the easy-to-recognize package would hopefully put an end to

incorrect prescriptions and dosages, and the powerful combination of the two

drugs would enable the pateint to recover fast without relapses.

Dr Mey

Bouth Denis, Vice director of the National Malaria Center, said in a press

relase: "Cambodia is one of the world's worst places in terms of resistance to

malaria drugs. Prepackaging the combined treatment in the correct dosages . . .

is the most effective way to ensure that people take the correct treatment and

to stop the further development and spread of resistance.

Subsidised by

the EC, the packs will have a retail price of around 9,000 riel.