Assessment of health facilities, commodities, and supplies for malaria case management at primary healthcare centers in Ogun state, Nigeria

Abstract

Introduction: Country-specific evidence shows that Nigeria has the largest population at risk of malaria in Africa. Primary healthcare facilities play a major role in malaria control and often provide the bulk of malaria case management services. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in primary healthcare centers (PHCs) in three Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Ogun state. A pretested observational checklist adapted from the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) guideline was used to assess the health facilities, commodities, and supplies for malaria case management in all the PHCs. Results: A total of 75 PHCs were visited in the three LGAs. Only 32.0% of the PHCs had long lasting insecticide nets (LLINs) on the hospital beds. The majority (74.7 and 60.0%) of the PHCs distributed LLINs at antenatal care (ANC) and during immunization. The availability of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) was good in 57.3% of the PHCs, and directly observed therapy of SP at ANC was good in 59.3% of the PHCs. Only 6.7% of the PHCs had the light microscope. There was availability of rapid diagnostic test kits in 62.7% of the PHCs. There was regular supply of artemisinin-based combination therapy in almost half of the PHCs. However, only 5.3% of the PHCs had quinine tablets available and only one of the PHCs had the correct prescription of quinine. Conclusion: There should be adequate and regular supplies of NMCP commodities in the PHCs if the country is to achieve the general objective of the current National Malaria Strategic Plan.