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PREVALENCE OF MALARIA AMONG CHILDREN

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

 

1.0 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

 

Malaria is still a major global health problem and one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in Sub-Saharan Africa. In 2010, an estimated 216 million cases and 655,000 deaths of malaria occurred worldwide, of which about 81% and 91% respectively were in the African Region. Most of the cases and deaths were reported in under 5 year children (World Health Organization, 2011).

Malaria is caused by five species of parasites of the genus Plasmodium that affect humans (P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, P. malariae and P. knowlesi). Malaria due to P. falciparum is the most deadly form and it predominates in Africa; P. vivax is less dangerous but more widespread, and the other three species are found much less frequently. Malaria parasites are transmitted to humans by the bite of infected female mosquitoes of more than 30 anopheline species. Globally, an estimated 3.3 billion people were at risk of malaria in 2011, with populations living in sub-Saharan Africa having the highest risk of acquiring malaria: approximately 80% of cases and 90% of deaths are estimated occur in the WHO African Region, with children under five years of age and pregnant women most severely affected (Malaria Report, 2012). About 90% of all malaria deaths in the world today occur in Africa south of the Sahara. It is also because the most effective malaria vector – the mosquito Anopheles gambiae – is the most widespread in Africa and the most difficult to control.

It has been discovered that malaria accounts for 60% of outpatient visits and 30% of hospitalizations among children under five years of age in Nigeria, it has the greatest prevalence, close to 50% in children age 6-59 months in the South West, North Central, and North West regions and malaria has the least prevalence, 27.6 percent, in children age 6 to 59 months in the South East region (Nigeria Malaria Fact Sheet, December 2011).

Malaria is an entirely preventable and treatable disease, provided the currently recommended interventions are properly implemented. These include (i) vector control through the use of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), indoor residual spraying (IRS) and, in some specific settings, larval control, (ii) chemoprevention for the most vulnerable populations, particularly pregnant women and infants, (iii) confirmation of malaria diagnosis through microscopy or rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for every suspected case, and (iv) timely treatment with appropriate antimalarial medicines (Malaria Report, 2012).

Consequences of severe malaria include coma and death if untreated, young children are especially vulnerable. In endemic areas, treatment is often less satisfactory and the overall fatality rate for all cases of malaria can be as high as one in ten. For reasons that are poorly understood, children with malaria frequently exhibit abnormal posturing, a sign indicating severe brain damage and Malaria has been found to cause cognitive impairments, especially in children. Malaria causes widespread anaemia during a period of rapid brain development and also direct brain damage and this neurologic damage results from cerebral malaria to which children are more vulnerable.

With all the above complications associated with malaria parasites infection in mind, the trends in malaria prevalence among  children in Nigeria is being studied.

 

1.1 STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

Despite of the availability of the malaria control measures and intervention, the morbidity and mortality in s is still unacceptably high. (MoH, 2006). Malaria control and interventions have been implemented and in the recent past and intensified as an effort to attain the World Health Assembly, Roll Back Malaria, and Millennium Development universal targets with the aim of reducing and interrupt disease transmission in sub Saharan Africa. Worse still, malaria continues to be the leading cause of child mortality and morbidity in spite of government, NGOs and the private sector’s interventions to ensure that the children under five, who are most vulnerable access, own and sleep under ITNs.

This verifies that there could be several reasons for this situation including the deficiencies in the Health system that leads to lack of access to malaria control interventions and low effectiveness of these interventions than expected.

 

1.2 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study when completed will contribute to the existing body of knowledge, it will also help the government in assessing the efficacy of policies formulated to reduce malaria among  age children and help in the decision to formulate new policies if previous policies are found to be inadequate in combatting the prevalence of malaria among  children, this study will help the agency of government  saddled with the responsibility of management of diseases such as malaria giving them areas on which to focus on to ensure proper management of the disease.

 

1.3 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This research investigated the socio-demographic, socio-economic factors as well as rural and urban dynamics influencing the prevalence of malaria among  children in Nigeria.

 

1.4 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1.4.1 General Objective:

The general objective is to examine the trends in malaria prevalence among  children in Nigeria

 

1.4.2 Specific Objectives:

Particularly, this study aims to:

 

• Describe malaria prevalence among children in Nigeria.

 

• Asses the trend in malaria prevalence.

 

• Examine the relationship between malaria prevalence among children under the age of 5 and selected background characteristics.