Quality of malaria prevention during prenatal consultations in Niakhar (Senegal)

INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the quality of malaria prevention during prenatal consultations, this study was carried out in Niakhar, one sub-prefecture of the Fatick region. METHOD: It was a matter of a descriptive transverse study, based on the listens and the observation of 60 prenatal consultations carried out within three health posts. The studied variables were related to the criteria of a good quality of prophylaxis at three levels: questioning, examination, and attitude after consultation. RESULTS: Questioning was centred by frequency order on: the pregnancy antecedents (65%), the chloroquine direction for use (34.3%), the fever notion (6%), and the chloroquine secondary effects (3%). During the physical examination, all the providers looked for clinical signs of weakens, blood pressure, and presence of oedemas of the legs; but the temperature was taken only in 8.6% of the cases. At the end of the consultation, the chemoprophylaxis prescription and the next consultation appointment were systematic; the duration of the treatment recalled in 57% and malaria seriousness during the pregnancy in 3% of the cases; no one of the providers didn't evoked neither the methods of the treatment nor the attitude to hold in case of fever. CONCLUSION: The prevention of the malaria in pregnancy through the CPN necessitates a fitting formation supported by regular supervision of the health posts.