Malaria In Endemic Area Of Ogun State, Nigeria: Investigation Of Perceptions And Practices Among The Residents And Health Providers

D. A. Ojo and C. F. Mafiana

College of Natural Sciences, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (Nigeria)

ABSTRACT: Surveys were conducted on aspects of perceptions and practices among the residents and health providers on malaria in Abeokuta, the capital city of Ogun State located in the forest zone of Southwest Nigeria. Structured questionnaires were used to obtain information on the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices of the residents, medical personnel and traditional healers with respect to malaria. Most households in the high density areas have a mean greater than 10 occupant per house, but below 10 occupants in the low density areas. Most of the residents (> 90%) were knowledgeable about mosquito breeding and the association between it and malaria. The use of door and window nettings against mosquitoes were common practices in the low density areas and almost absent in the high density, preferring mosquito coils and insecticides. Sixty percent of attendance at clinics and hospitals were due to malaria, with fever, headache, body pain and vomiting being the main symptoms. The first line drug is chloroquine but they reckon that at least 30% of cases present malaria resistant to chloroquine, to which alternative drugs such as fansidar (pyrimethane + sulfaloxine), halfan (halofanthrine hypochloride) and quinine are administered. Drug abuse, incomplete dosage and adulterated drugs were considered as the most important causes of resistance. The large number of patent medicine stores in the city whose source of drugs are questionable is thought to be a source of concern. A large number of residents in the high density areas use local herbs as alternative treatments for fevers of different origin. These herbal treatment were usually decoction of roots, leaves and barks extracts in aqueous or alcohol. A wide variety of plant species used singly or in combination include Citrus medica (Ijagain), Enantia chlorantha (Awopa), Azadiracta indica (Dogoyaro), Khaya senegalensis (Oganwo), Alstonia boonei (Epo ahun), Mangifera indica (Mango), Morinda lucida (Oruwo), Pentachlethra macrophyla (Aidan), Carica papaya (Ewe ibepe), Jatropha carcus (Botuje), Manihot sps (Ewe paki), Citrus species (Osan wewe), Anacardium occidentale (Cashew), Piper guineensis (Iyere) and Plumbago zeylanica (Inabiri).

KEYWORDS: Malaria; endemic area; health providers; practices

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