Knowledge and practices relating to malaria in a semi-urban area of Cameroon: choices and sources of antimalarials, self-treatment and resistance

Abstract

Malaria self-medication is common in Ndu but knowledge of antimalarial drug resistance is poor. Improvement in the self-treatment of malaria could be attained by providing clear information on choices of drugs for malaria treatment. Proper health information on the rational use of ant-malarial drugs must be provided in an appropriate manner to all groups of people in the society including village health workers, women associations, churches, school children, "Mngwah" opinion leaders, herbalists, health workers and chemists. Self-medication should be improved upon by giving correct information on the dosage of malaria treatment on radio, television, posters and newspapers because banning it will push many people to use it in hiding.