Morbidity pattern in paediatric outpatient unit of the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, Nigeria.

Abstract

The study was aimed at identifying the common presenting complain, and diagnosis among paediatric patients, who attended outpatient unit of department, at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH) ,Gwagwalada. Informationwas retrieved fromthe case records of all children from the ages of one day to 15 years, who presented for treatment at the Paediatric Out Patient Unit (POPD) of UATH, from January 2005 toDecember 2006. During the study period of two years, a total of 3,669 paediatric patients were seen, with a mean age of 4.1 ± 1.7 years. There were 1,948 males and 1,721 females given a male to female ratio of 1.1 1. Under five years constituted 74.9% of paediatirc outpatient visit, with 52.7% being children less than 2 years, and 33.1% being those less than one year. The three commonest presenting complain were fever (48.4%), cough/catarrah (18.4%) and diarrhoea (7.9%) . Malaria was the commonest diagnosis made (39.0%), this was and followed acute respiratory tract infection (ARTI) in (22.0%) of case, and human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in 11.9%.Measles was least diagnosed (0.5%), with gastroenteritis being recorded in (5.2%), and skin infection in 5.8% of cases. Infectious diseases with HIV/AIDS inclusive constituted 82.8%reason for out patient paediatric visit inUATH. Infectious diseases still remain major reason for paediatric outpatient visit at the UATH. Though measles and diarrhoea were on a downward trend, every effort must be made to bring malaria,ARTI and most recentlyHIV/AIDS under control.

Keywords: Paediatric outpatient unit, presenting complain, diagnosis