OPTIONS AND PROSPECTS OF MANAGEMENT OF MALARIA WITH RECTAL ARTESUNATE IN ABEOKUTA SOUTH-WESTERN NIGERIA

Malaria is an important illness in fewer than five years old children in Nigeria which is accompanied with vomiting and severe anaemia that lead to infant and childhood mortality. In view of problems and implications associated with management of malaria at home, rectal artesunate is being introduced as pre-referral drug to reduced multiplication of parasites in children before accessing appropriate treatment. Perceptions of 264 parents of under 5 years children attending two health facilities (Federal Medical Centre, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta (FMC) and State General Hospital Ijaye, (SGH)) in Abeokuta south-western Nigeria through the use of questionnaires and were systematically selected. Analysis of the questionnaires revealed that male (42/78) were more severely infected than female (36/78). The parent revealed common symptoms of malaria include fever and high body temperature vomiting, loss of appetite and cough. Parent who take their children to hospitals were more than those that use herbs during malaria attack. Chloroquine derivatives were observed as common drug of choice and in combination with Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine and herbs. Majority of the children with uncomplicated and moderate falciparum malaria have fever and in combination with cough, catarrh and abdominal discomfort while children with severe falciparum malaria showed symptoms such as vomiting, loss of appetite and convulsion together with fever. The use of rectal artesunate is low among the study group. With more enlightenment in the use of rectal artesunate, the high mortality now experienced in under-five children due to malaria disease would be greatly reduced.