Background:
The adoption of ACT as the first line treatment for uncomplicated malaria in Nigeria has concentrated
attention on the role of testing in appropriate malaria treatment. There are calls at both national and global level
for malaria treatment to be based on test result, but it is still unclear how testing can be incorporated into
treatment-seeking and practices of health providers. This study explored community members and health providers
’
perceptions and experiences with malaria tests in south east Nigeria.
Methods:
The study was conducted in urban and rural areas of Enugu state in south-eastern Nigeria. A total of
18 focus group discussions with 179 community members including sub-groups of primary caregivers, adult men
and adult women aged 15 years and above. Twenty- six (26) In-depth interviews were held with public and private
health providers involved in prescribing medicines at public and private health facilities in the study area.
Results:
Both providers and community members were familiar with malaria tests and identified malaria tests as
an important step to distinguish malaria from other illnesses with similar symptoms and as a means of delivering
appropriate treatment. However, the logic of test-directed treatment was undermined by cost of test and a lack of
testing facilities but above all concerns over the reliability of negative test results, with community members and
providers observing inconsistencies between results and symptoms, and providers attributing inaccurate results
to incompetencies of technicians. Recognition of malaria symptoms was deemed most important in determining
the use of antimalarial drugs rather than the result of a malaria test.
Conclusion:
The results highlight important areas of intervention to promote appropriate malaria treatment. If tests
are to play a role in patient management, demand and supply side interventions are needed to change people
’
s
attitude towards malaria test results