Assessment of Antimalarial Drug Use among the Patients in a Tertiary Hospital in Northern Part of Nigeria

Aims: To assess the pattern of antimalarial drug use among the patients attending the teaching
hospital in Jos North local Government of Nigeria.
Study Design: Cross-sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study: Tertiary hospital in Jos North Local Government of Plateau state of
Nigeria, between July and September, 2012.
Methodology: A sample size of 441 male and female patients was selected into this study using a
universal sampling. Information on the knowledge, attitudes and practices with respect to antimalarial
drug use were obtained with the aid of a pre-tested interviewer-administered questionnaire. Data was
analyzed using the SPSS software.
Results: Four hundred and forty one (441) patients completed the questionnaire. Respondent
knowledge of malaria with respect to description of malaria decreased (42.7% to 0.2%). Almost all the
patients were able to describe the causes and symptoms of malaria. One hundred and sixty nine
(38.3%) frequently treated their malaria with Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine (SP) combination, Three
hundred and eighty two (86.6%) reported to have used oral preparation, almost half of the
respondents (47.6%) obtained these medications from many sources apart from hospitals, only two
hundred and forty eight reported to comply to treatment. Majority of the participants always used
some methods for the prevention of malaria.
Conclusion: Concerted effort should be made to educate the population on malaria as well as the
importance of drug adherence. Provision of ACTs at subsidized costs will go a long way in improving
malaria treatment services in Nigeria, indigenous plantations for cultivating active ingredients and
local manufacturing of ACTs is further expected to lower the costs of the drugs and increase its
utilization and lower the incidence and impact of malaria. It will be important for interventions to be
directed at educating the consumers on malaria pathogenesis, diagnosis, therapy and prevention and
importance of drug adherence in order to improve the quality, efficacy of treatments and to reduce
local morbidity and mortality in the future.