Bio-availability of Rectal Artesunate in Children With Severe Falciparum Malaria

Inclusion Criteria: * Weight ≥6 kilograms and ≤ 34 kilograms * Severe malaria (WHO Guidelines 2013; Appendix 1) * P. falciparum infection confirmed by Rapid Diagnostic Test (P. falciparum monoinfection or mixed infection with P. ovale or P. malariae) * Parents or guardian signed Informed Consent Exclusion Criteria: * Acute diarrhoea defined as \> 3 liquid stools in the previous 24 hours * Visible anorectal malformations or a disease of the rectum * Known hypersensitivity to quinine or artesunate * A documented history of an effective dose of parenteral antimalarial in the preceding 24 hours or a single dose of rectal artesunate in the previous 12 hours or a dose of an artemisinin based combination therapy in the previous 6 hours * Co-morbidity which in the judgement of the investigator would interfere with the patient treatment or results of the study or place the subject at undue risk * Participation in another clinical trial or earlier in the same clinical trial