Factors Influencing Malaria Recurrence Rate Among Patients Using Selected Primary Healthcare Centres in Sagamu, Ogun State- Nigeria

Abstract

Malaria continues to pose a significant public health challenge, impacting millions of lives and burdening the healthcare system. In Nigeria various attempts to contain and one day, eradicate malaria, have followed a complex model which has undergone various changes over the years to suit the various development needs of different countries: prevention, early identification, and appropriate treatment. The study examined the factors influencing malaria recurrence rate amongst patients using selected Primary Healthcare Centres in Sagamu, Ogun State. The study adopted a cluster sampling technique to select 202 clients who have experienced recurrent malaria at specified primary health care facilities in Sagamu Ogun state within the period January 2023 to December 2023. The study was done in Makun and Agura Primary Healthcare Centres in Sagamu, Ogun State. Results reveal that a significant majority (65.0%) strongly agree with the idea that malaria can recur post-treatment, indicating high awareness of malaria’s potential for recurrence. A majority of respondents (55.6%) strongly agree that completing the full course of malaria medication helps prevent recurrence. The majority (62.5%) strongly agree that mosquito nets help reduce malaria risk. A significant majority (70.6%) take preventive anti-malaria medications and only 26.3% of respondents always complete their medication. A significant portion either rarely (26.3%) or never (8.1%) complete their treatment. Only 14.4% always seek medical treatment, while 35.0% never do. Based on these findings, it was recommended among others that strategies to increase access to repellents, insecticide-treated nets, and anti-malaria medications could help bridge the gap in prevention efforts.