Novartis has received approval from Swissmedic, Switzerland's medical products authority, for Coartem Baby, the world's first malaria treatment specifically designed for newborns and very young children. This approval marks a milestone in the global fight against malaria, a disease that caused approximately 597,000 deaths worldwide in 2023, with the majority occurring in children under five years old, primarily in Africa. Coartem Baby is a lower-dose formulation of a previously approved antimalarial combination drug, Artemether-Lumefantrine, and features a dissolvable, cherry-flavored formula that can be mixed with milk to facilitate administration to infants. The medication is expected to be rolled out in several African countries, including Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda, within weeks. Health experts view this development as a significant step toward reducing healthcare inequality and improving treatment access for vulnerable populations affected by malaria.