Home Management of Malaria in Aliero Local Government Area, Kebbi State, Nigeria

Home management of malaria is promoting interventions within the overall Roll Back Malaria strategy outside the formal health services, to ensures prompt and appropriate treatment to malaria within the home or the community. This cross-sectional study was therefore undertaken to explore the various home management practices for malaria treatment in Aliero, Sabiel, Kashim-zama and Jiga villages of Aliero local government area, Kebbi State. Out of 200 households', 175 (85.5%) household caregivers were admitted of practicing home management of malaria. The most preferred (61.7%) mode of home treatment of malaria was allopathic medicine with paracetamol (51.7%) and chloroquine (37.8%). The source of allopathic medicine was left over unused medicine (53.1%), followed by patent medicine vendor (39.9%). The dosage was according to peoples experience (70.6%) and medicine dealer prescription (29.4%). Homemade herbal preparation was the most preferred (86.6%) source of herbal medicine. They got better after home treatment was reported by 151 (86.3%) caregivers. The most common action at home was giving plenty of fluids (40.6%). Disease uncomplicated was the reason given by most of the caregivers (123, 70.3%) for the home management of malaria. Home management of malaria is very common in the study area, but the knowledge of malaria symptom and practice of home management of malaria was poor. Therefore, to make home management of malaria effective, there is urgent requirement of a guideline on home management malaria, to improve the ongoing practice.