Background: The Roll Back Malaria Initiative (RBMI) is aimed at halving the malaria mortality in the year 2010 using prompt diagnosis and treatment of malaria and the use of Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs).
Methods: This is a cross sectional study of children aged 1 month to 14 years with confirmed malaria to assess the burden of malaria and to evaluate the home use of anti-malarial drugs and ITNs among children with malaria in Ile Ife, Nigeria.
Results: Of the total of 1047 children seen, 190 (18.1%) had malaria and were surveyed. Complications were present among 74 (38.9%) children and a significantly higher of the under-fives had complications (p by Fisher's exact test = 0.0018). Chloroquine was administered to 63 (67.0%) children within the first 24 hours of the illness although only 25 (26.6%) children had the correct dosage. One hundred and fifty three (80.5%) were aware of the use of untreated bed nets in preventing malaria while 38 (20.0%) and 4 (2.1%) were aware of ITNs and used ITNs respectively. The awareness of ITNs increased with increasing maternal education.
Conclusion: Awareness of the parents about ITNs and their use are poor. Health education on appropriate antimalarial drug use and ITN use should be intensified. ITNs should be made more widely available.