Malaria prevention in pregnancy among traditional birth attendants in rural Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Malaria accounts for approximately 1 million deaths annually and about 300,000 deaths in Nigeria alone. Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to adverse consequences of malaria. The National Malaria Policy has adopted the use of Intermittent Preventive Treatment and Insecticide Treated Net for prevention of malaria in pregnant women. This study therefore determined the knowledge and practice of Traditional Birth Attendants regarding prevention of malaria in pregnancy in 2 rural Local Government Areas of Lagos State, Nigeria.

Method: A cross sectional, descriptive study design was adopted and a total of 68 Traditional Birth Attendants were studied. Data was collected using a structured, interviewer administered questionnaire. Analysis was done with EPI info 2008 and WinPepi statistical softwares.

Results: Age range of respondents was 20-75 years and the mean age was 46.4±8.7 years. Most (67.7%) of the respondents were not aware of Intermittent Preventive Treatment. However, most(81.8%) of the respondents who were aware got the information from the health workers, while only 31.6% of those that aware knew the right drugs to be used.

Conclusion: Overall knowledge of malaria prevention with Intermittent Preventive Treatment in pregnancy was poor. The knowledge and practice of malaria prevention in pregnancy among the Traditional Birth Attendants in Ikorodu and Badagry Local Government Areas was poor. It is therefore recommended that a sensitization and training of the Traditional Birth Attendants be carried out since a good number of women still patronize them.

Keywords: Malaria, Pregnancy, Traditional Birth, Attendants, Rural, Lagos, Nigeria