Raman, JaishreeBarnes, K.I.Baker, L.Blaylock, M.Blumberg, Lucille HellenFrean, J.Misiani, E.Ukpe, I.S. (Indongesit Sunday)2022-10-182022-10-182021-01Raman, J., Barnes, K.I., Baker, L. et al. Maintaining focus on administering effective malaria treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic. South African Medical Journal, vol. 111, no. 1, pp. 13-16, 2021. doi:10.7196/SAMJ.2020.v111i11.15289.2078- 5135 (online)0256-9574 (print)10.7196/SAMJ.2020.v111i11.15289https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/87781As September marks the start of the malaria season in South Africa (SA), it is essential that healthcare professionals consider both COVID19 and malaria when a patient who lives in or has recently travelled to a malaria area presents with acute febrile illness. Early diagnosis of malaria by either a rapid diagnostic test or microscopy enables prompt treatment with the effective antimalarial, artemether-lumefantrine, preventing progression to severe disease and death. Intravenous artesunate is the preferred treatment for severe malaria in both children and adults. Adding single low-dose primaquine to standard treatment is recommended in endemic areas to block onward transmission. Use of the highly effective artemisinin-based therapies should be limited to the treatment of confirmed malaria infections, as there is no clinical evidence that these antimalarials can prevent or treat COVID-19. Routine malaria case management services must be sustained, in spite of COVID-19, to treat malaria effectively and support SA’s malaria elimination efforts.enThis open-access article is distributed under Creative Commons licence CC-BY-NC 4.0.MalariaCOVID-19 pandemicCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)Acute febrile illnessHealth sciences articles SDG-03SDG-03: Good health and well-beingHealth sciences articles SDG-17SDG-17: Partnerships for the goalsArticle