Abstract
Introduction Malaria is and remains a serious health concern in Africa. In Cameroon, where malaria is endemic and a major public health problem, the major control measure put in place is the use of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs). In the Tiko Health District (THD), the challenges have been to assess and to evaluate the ownership and utilisation of LLINs. This study sought to assess the ownership and utilisation rates of LLINs in the THD. Methodology. A cross-sectional survey involving 418 households was conducted in four health areas in the THD. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on LLIN ownership and utilisation as well as sociodemographic characteristics. Results The ownership of at least one LLIN per household, coverage, and accessibility were, respectively, 89%, 56.2%, and 66.3%, while installing LLINs on all beds in the household, sleeping under LLINs the previous night (SULPN), and universal utilisation were 72%, 24.9%, and 14.1%, respectively. Factors significantly associated with the ownership of at least one LLIN per household were respondent's age and gender. Heat (21.1%) and forgetfulness (6.5%) were the main reasons postulated for irregular utilisation of LLINs. Conclusion The ownership LLINs failed to guarantee utilisation and definitely effective control of malaria in the THD, as expected. Continuous and appropriate use of LLINs is indispensable, in addition to periodic sanitation, booster campaigns of LLIN distribution, and evaluation research for effective prevention and control of malaria.
Highlights
Malaria is and remains a serious health concern in Africa
The ownership frequency of at least one long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) per household in this study is higher than the 47– 78.8% in Fako Division [16, 23, 26, 36], the 67.1% in 2013 and 69.7% in 2017 rates reported in the Southwest Region [18], and the 59.7–73% elsewhere in Cameroon [2, 11, 24] and similar to 81.3% reported in Hohoe (Ghana) [37], 82.5% reported in Tiko (Cameroon) [23], and 89.9% in Mezam (Cameroon) [4]
Findings from this study showed that negligence or forgetfulness, heat, use of repellent or fans, and difficulty to hang up the net as well as LLIN misappropriation were accountable for low utilisation of LLINs
Summary
Malaria is and remains a serious health concern in Africa. In Cameroon, where malaria is endemic and a major public health problem, the major control measure put in place is the use of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs). A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on LLIN ownership and utilisation as well as sociodemographic characteristics. The ownership LLINs failed to guarantee utilisation and definitely effective control of malaria in the THD, as expected. In the Southwest Region, 56% of hospital consultations, 54% of hospital admissions, and 53% of deaths among children below five years are due to malaria. 42%, 70%, and 12% of hospital consultations, hospital admissions, and deaths among pregnant women are due to malaria [16, 18, 19]
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