Home treatment of malaria, amongst under fives presenting with fever in PHC facilities in Jos North LGA of Plateau State.

Background: Malaria is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in Nigeria. It accounts for 30-50% of morbidity generally and 25% of mortality among under fives. Over the counter treatment of malaria is practiced in almost every household in Nigeria. Therefore this study was carried out to determine the pattern of Home treatment of Malaria amongst under fives seen at PHC facilities in Jos, Plateau State. Nigeria

Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study design was adopted. Data were generated from 260 systematically selected under fives using interviewer administered structured questionnaires. The informants were their mothers who brought them to PHC facilities with the history of fever.

Results: One hundred and fifty nine (57.3%) of the 260 were positive for malaria parasite. One hundred and thirty five (51.9%) did not take any Antimalarial before presentation. Eighty seven (33.5%) took chloroquine, nine (3.5%) had chloroquine with paracetamol, fourteen (5.4%) had nivaquine, nine (3.5%) took paracetamol alone and six (2.3%) were given a combination of orthodox and traditional medicines. Only 21.6% of the mothers gave correct dosage of the Antimalarial. There was no statistically significant relationship between home treatment and parasitaemia among the under fives.

Conclusions: Home treatment of malaria is a strategy that if properly done will reduce the morbidity and mortality of malaria but this study showed that the knowledge of home treatment of malaria was poor and even when done was not completed because of unavailability of pre-packaged antimalaria.