BACKGROUND: At primary care facilities in Nigeria, national treatment guidelines state that @entity311 should be symptomatically diagnosed and treated with @entity507 -based combination therapy (ACT). Evidence from households and health care providers indicates that many @entity1 do not receive the recommended treatment. This study sought to determine the extent of the problem by collecting data as @entity1 and caregivers leave health facilities, and determine what influences the treatment received. METHODS: A cross-sectional cluster survey of 2,039 respondents exiting public health centres, pharmacies and patent medicine dealers was undertaken in urban and rural settings in Enugu State, south-eastern Nigeria. RESULTS: Although 79% of febrile @entity1 received an anti-malarial, only 23% received an ACT. Many @entity1 (38%) received @entity1484 (SP). A further 13% of @entity1 received an @entity507 -derivative as a monotherapy. An estimated 66% of ACT dispensed was in the correct dose. The odds of a @entity1 receiving an ACT was highly associated with consumer demand (OR: 55.5, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Few febrile @entity1 attending public health facilities, pharmacies and patent medicine dealers received an ACT, and the use of @entity507 -monotherapy and less effective anti-malarials is concerning. The results emphasize the importance of addressing both demand and supply-side influences on @entity311 treatment and the need for interventions that target consumer preferences as well as seek to improve health service provision.

Treatment of uncomplicated XXXX at public health facilities and medicine retailers in south-eastern Nigeria.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'patient'] @entity311 :: ('MESH:D008288', 'Disease') :: ['malaria'] @entity1484 :: ('MESH:C001205', 'Chemical') :: ['sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine'] @entity507 :: ('MESH:C031327', 'Chemical') :: ['artemisinin']
@entity311 :: (MESH:D008288,Disease) :: ['malaria']
