Background: Reduction of malarial morbidity and mortality in children greatly depends on caregivers' response to childhood malaria.
Objective: The study was conducted to assess caregivers'practice related to the treatment of childhood malaria.
Methods: The study was conducted in 9 Kebeles surrounding Gilgel Gibe Dam from November to December 2005 employing a cross-sectional design. A sample of 588 households in which children between the age of 2 months and 59 months resided were randomly selected from urban, semi urban and rural strata. The primary caregivers in each sampled households were interviewed using structured questionnaire.
Findings: Most (79.2%) of the caregivers reported that their under five child has been affected by malaria at least once in their lifetime. The common first modalities of treatment for the child's last malarial episode were home treatment (52.3%) and treatment seeking from formal sectors (43.7%). The commonest type of home care was treatment with antimalarials (71.3%). Early treatment seeking was higher among those who started home antimalarial treatment (30%) as compared to those who sought treatment from formal sectors (19.7%). Higher socioeconomic status was found to be associated with early treatment seeking.
Conclusion: The study has identified high prevalence of home treatment with antimalarials and late onset of treatment seeking by caregivers for children with malaria. This lays a good ground and calls for implementation of home malaria management strategy.