Incidence of positive cases of malaria using MRDT among children between ages one to twelve visiting Moyo General Hospital between June to July in Moyo District, Uganda

Abstract

Background. Malaria is one of the most common killer disease that manifest in children without acquired immunity, high fever, chill, severe anemia, hypoglycemia, respiratory and multi organ failure among children. Objective. To estimate the incidences and risk factors of malaria parasites in children between ages 1-12 who attend OPD at Moyo general hospital in Moyo District. Methodology. A structured questionnaire was used to carry out a cross sectional study was performed. Sample obtain using the Kish and Leslie formula; 243 children were recruited from the August to September 2022. Blood samples were collected the children using venous and capillary blood respectively, blood was run using malaria rapid diagnostic testing kits, and blood smears were made and then using field staining techniques for blood smear examination for malaria parasites. Results. Of the 243 participants, were females 136 and 107 males. Majority 38 of the participants were aged 12 years old. Regarding the educational level, the highest percentage 35.8% was secondary. 52.7% were married. The prevalence rate was 41.6% (101/243). A statistically significance below 0.05 was found in children below age 5, health seeking behaviors of going to health care facility when they have fever and feeling malaria, attitude of thinking malaria is not serious and life threatening, attitude of thinking it is not dangerous not to complete malaria treatment, environmental factor of bushes around home state, poor water drainage system and garbage heaps around home state. Conclusion. The prevalence reported in this study is higher than other studies in many different studies. Therefore, the use of mosquito nets, use of ISR using DDT should be done, early treatment seeking should be promoted, removal of water holding and stagnant water from the environment be encourage, other effective method of reducing the bleeding of mosquito should be promoted and sensitization of the mass on the prevention of mosquito bites and provision of free mosquito long lasting treated net and mosquito repellants will reduce the prevalence of malaria.