Antimalarial use and the associated factors in rural nigeria following implementation of affordable medicines facility-malaria (amfm) price subsidy

Abstract

Purpose: This study was set out to find out the pattern of antimalarial drug use in a Nigerian rural community following the aggressive price subsidy of Artemisinin Combination Therapy(ACT) recently embarked upon by Roll Back Malaria partners through Affordable Medicines Facility-malaria (AMFm).
Methods: Questioners were administered to 310 adult members of the community with the most recent malaria episodes so as to find out about the drugs used and some of the factors associated with the choice of the drug.

Result: Although the overall use of ACT (13.55%) in this community was about 4 times higher than what it used to be, Chloroquine 123(39.62%) and sulphadozine/pyrimathamine 120(38.71%) were the mostly used antimalarial agents. Choice of drug used was significantly associated with perception of efficacy and price among other factors. Respondents liked the price of ACT (33.3%) most, CQ was the drug most liked in terms of efficacy (44.2%) while SP was the drug most liked in terms of lack of side effect (38.9%), taste (61.6%) and convenience (35.7%).( P= 0.001)
Conclusion: In addition to sustaining the current price control, there is a need to continuously monitor and effectively regulate the quality of the ACTs in circulation so as to gain the confidence of both the prescribers and the end users regarding efficacy and adherence to ACTs. This will help to safeguard the huge investment in ACT subsidy by the Roll Back Malaria partners.

Key words: ACT, Subsidy, Affordable Medicines Facility-malaria