An Assessment of the Multidimensional Pattern of Malaria Infection among Children under 0-5 Years in Anyigba, North-Central Nigeria

Abstract

Malaria is estimated to kill more than 1 million people annually, the majority of whom are young children. The study assessed the incidents of malaria infection among children aged 0-5 years in Anyigba. This study was hinged on four specific objectives which include: determining the incidence and prevalence level of malaria among children aged 0-5 years in Anyigba, identifying the contributory factors of malaria infection among children of 0-5 in the area studied, identifying strategies employed to combat the incidence of malaria among children of 0-5 years, and ascertaining the economic toll of both preventive and curative measures of malaria. The paper adopted the health belief model to explain the social phenomenon reviewed. The study adopted the survey research design with simple random sampling techniques to reach and elicit responses from 278 selected study participants. Structured questionnaire was used as the primary instrument of data collection. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software. Findings, among others, shows that the incidence and prevalence of malaria among children within age 0-5 years, were very high in the study area. Contributory factors responsible for malaria infection were parasites of genus plasmodium, low use of insecticide treated net, unsanitary environmental condition, poverty, poor behavioural attitude, and ignorance. The study among others recommends that the Nigerian government should release funds for malaria research and control activities; the increasing severity of the threat of malaria to the Nigerian residents, especially in Anyigba among children aged 0-5 years, and the diminishing ability to counter it, should be addressed by a more comprehensive and better integrated approach to malaria research and control; and for malaria control, short/long term interventions should be undertaken to ameliorate this holoendemic crisis of malaria infections.