The number of children dying from malaria has been dramatically cut with the introduction of a new drug and bicycle transport to hospital.

In a pilot project in the Serenje district of Zambia, children with suspected severe malaria were given the drug rectal artesunate (RAS) and then transported to a health facility for further treatment.

The combination of the drug and prompt referral cut death rates by 96 per cent, compared to the previous year when the drugs and transport were not available.

During the year-long project just three children died, compared to the 97 that would have been normally expected to die among the 1,215 children that contracted severe malaria during the 12-month period.

Normally 8 per cent of children die from the disease in the district and that was cut to 0.25 per cent during the project.