A  HOSPITAL BASED STUDY OF MALARIA IN NDIEGORO COMMUNITY, ABA SOUTH L.G.A. ABIA STATE.

A  HOSPITAL BASED STUDY OF MALARIA IN NDIEGORO COMMUNITY, ABA SOUTH L.G.A. ABIA STATE.

ABSTRACT

The   study  surveyed  the  prevalence  of  malaria  as  well as management  practices adpted  in  Ndiegoro  community,  Aba  South  L.G.A.,  Abia  state  between  May  and August  2009. Blood samples of  300  individuals who  attended  local  hospital were examined  using  Giemsa  stained  thick  and  thin  films, One hundred and fifty two (152) persons  (51%)  were  infected  with  Plasmodiumfalciparum . The  age  group  0-5 years ( 74.3%)  had  the  highest  prevalence,  while  the  age  group 36-45 years ( 40.0%) recorded  the  lowest prevalence  in  the  study. Males ( 58.7%)  were statistically  more infected  than  females ( 43.3%) ( p< 0.05 ). Structured  questionnaire  were  also administered  to  obtain  their  management  practices.  On  the  help-seeking  behavior of  the  respondents  more  persons (63.4%)   in  the  age  group  0-15 years  attend laboratories for diagnosis more often  than  those  in  the  age  group  16> (36.6%).  More of  the  respondents  resorted  to  patent  chemist (27.6%)  for  treatment  purposes.  Visit to  hospitals  for  treatment  was  the  least  patronized (12.0%).  Some  of  the respondents  combined  more  than  one  methods  in  their  treatment  for  malaria. The use of prophylactic drugs( 6.0%) and insecticide treated nets( 1.8%) were the least preventive measures adopted by the respondents. This was due to the financial constaint and non-awareness of them. Malaria still remained a public health problem in Nigeria and data on its precise prevalence in some communities has remained unidentified.

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