Abstract

ASSESMENT OF TREATMENT PATTERN AND PRESENTATION OF UNCOMPLICATED MALARIA AT THE GENERAL OUT- PATIENT DEPARTMENT OF ABUBAKAR TAFAWA BALEWA UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL (ATBUTH), BAUCHI NIGERIA.

*Sunday Yakubu Sabo and Noel Nenman Wannang

Abstract

Malaria health burden has an important morbidity as well as mortality component, with the severe forms of the disease being the main reasons for hospital admissions of young children in malaria endemic areas. Millions more children and adults suffer mild uncomplicated clinical malaria each year. New clinical cases of malaria per year occur in Sub-Saharan Africa. A retrospective study to assess the presentation and treatment pattern of uncomplicated malaria was conducted at the General Out-patient Department of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, (ATBUTH) Bauchi between June to December 2011. Data was extracted using a well structured extraction form. Cases of uncomplicated malaria were mostly diagnosed among the age group 21-25 years. A good compliance to the WHO treatment guidelines was observed with Artemether/ lumefantrine mostly prescribed (68.4%),. Fever constitutes the most frequent presentaing complain (83%) and diagnosis of uncomplicated malaria was generally based on clinical assessment (84.7%).

Keywords: