Kumasi, Aug 2, GNA- Manufacturers and sellers of drugs have been asked to make the prices of their products affordable to enable more patients to have access to medical care.

The manufacturing of efficacious drug might not be to the benefit of the public, if patients are unable to purchase them due to their high cost.

Dr (Mrs) Gyekua Plange-Rhule, Head of the Child Health Department of the School of Medical Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, made the appeal in Kumasi on Monday.

She was launching a new anti-malaria drug called 'Coartem', a combination of artemether and lumefenetrine, which was rated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as the leading arthemisinin based combination therapy.

Dr Plange-Rhule also cautioned patients not to abuse drugs as the practice could be damaging to their health.

He also advised the manufacturers to carry out intensive research before introducing their products on to the market.

Dr Boakye Agyemang, Head of the Polyclinic at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, said malaria was a major cause of poverty since a lot of money was being spent on the education, prevention, control and treatment of the disease.

He, therefore, appealed to the public to keep their environment clean as the first measure of preventing malaria.