CAUSES AND EFFECT OF MALARIA AMONG CHILDREN

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to determine the causes and effect of malaria among children in Benin City. Research questions were formulated using the questionnaire as research instrument. One hundred and fifty respondents were used as sample study to determine the prevalence of malaria in the area. Result showed that lack of awareness and poverty leads to the spread of malaria among children and leading to death of the children in Benin City . Use of insecticide treated nets reduced the prevalence of malaria in the locality. Recommendations made included that non-governmental organizations (NGO) should fully participate in enlightenment campaign in the locality and cleaning of roads, gutters and drainages should be encouraged to stop the spread of malaria.  

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1    BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Malaria is an acute and chronic disease caused by an obligate intracellular protozoan of the genus plasmodium (Eneanta, 1996). Malaria has also been one of the world’s worst killer diseases throughout recorded human history. Despite attempt to eradicate it, it remains one of the worst disease in terms of death annually.

Malaria parasite was discovered in 1886 by Laveran a military physician working in Constantine Algeria (Ksogstad, 1996). Malaria is a serious notificable infectious illness characterized by periodic chills, fever, sweating and sptemomeguly. It has serious and often fatal complications which gave way to Falciparom malaria. It is intermittent and remittent fever caused by a protozoa parasite that incades the red blood cells. Malaria is a preventable and treatable disease of public health. Malaria is by far the most important insect transmitting disease (Curtis, 1991).

Malaria is a mosquito borne infectious disease of human and other animals causes by protists, it begins with bites from an infected female anopheles mosquito (Churchill, 1998)., it is transmitted in large areas of Africa, South America, Middle East, Eastern Europe etc symptoms of malaria are characterized by cyclic occurrence of chills, fever and profuse sweating. This occur when the merozoite destroys the red blood cells causing toxin to be released into the blood. Its symptoms also includes headache, nausea, aneamia and jaundice if serve.

Malaria is made up of types depending on the plasmodium involves. It includes tertian malaria caused by plasmodium, vivax fever, caused by plasmodium  falciparum. The life cycle of malaria parasite involves the cycle in the blood of man and cycle in mosquito (Obueh, 2003). Considering the magnitude of this problem, it therefore become very extremely important that this project work should be carried out to reduce the prevalence of malaria among children from 0 to 5 years old in Benin City, Benin City, Edo State.

1.2    STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Malaria has become very common and is increasing in an uncontrolled way throughout Nigeria and world as whole, due to the bite of the female anopheles mosquito which carries the plasmodium in an attempt to eradicate this deadly disease, a massive response need to be mounted by the government to enlighten the public about the prevalence of malaria. Also provide remedy for treatment of it.

1.3    OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The objective of this study is to determine prevalence of malaria among children from 0 to 5 years old in Benin City , Benin City, Edo State. The specific objectives of this study includes;

1. To determine the prevalence of malaria among children between 0 to 5 years in Benin City , Benin City, Edo State.
2. To identify the various means the vector transmits the parasite plasmodium.
3. To determine the symptoms and signs of malaria

4.     To examine the ways to eradicate the prevalence of malaria among children from 0 to 5 years in Benin City , Benin City, Edo State.

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