IMPACT OF ENLIGHTENMENT AND MONITORING ON THE USE OF LONG LASTING INSECTICIDE NETS FOR MALARIA PREVENTION AMONG CHILDREN UNDER FIVE YEARS IN A RURAL COMMUNITY IN ABEOKUTA, NIGERIA

The female Anopheles mosquito is the vector for human malaria and bites man mostly from 5pm to 7am, with maximum intensity between 10pm and 4am. This provides the basis for the use of Long Lasting Insecticide Nets (LLIN). A study to assess the impact of enlightenment, advocacy and monitoring on LLIN use for children under five years was conducted in Olugbo. A total of two hundred (200) children under five years were recruited into the study. Ethical clearance was received from the Ogun State Ministry of Health. Pre-tested questionnaires were administered to the respondents and blood samples were collected for malaria test before and after provision(Pre and Post intervention) of LLIN. The blood samples were analyzed at the laboratory using the QBC Malaria Test and ParaLens system. The subjects were divided into two groups of study (group that received LLIN, enlightenment on the importance of LLIN and assisted with LLIN hanging) and Control (group that merely received the LLIN without enlightenment or assistance). The subjects in the study group were monitored between 1600hrs to 2000hrs thrice a week. The pre intervention study result shows that the prevalence of malaria infection was 70% and 56% amongst the study and Control group respectively. The post intervention blood samples screening reveals that the prevalence of infection in the study group was 13% with low parasite density. In the Control group, however, the prevalence of infection was 60% and 38.33% of those infected had high parasite density. There is a significant difference (P<0.05) in malaria parasitaemia between both groups post intervention. This study shows that distribution of LLINs alone is not sufficient to reduce malaria morbidity and recommends that enlightenment and assistance with hanging of LLINs should form an integral part of mass distribution of LLINs by government and donor agencies.