Uncomplicated Malaria in Children under 6 Months or Less than 5 Kg; How Prescribers in Ghana Manage it in the Absence of a National Policy

Abstract

Malaria caused by various species of Plasmodium had brought untold socio-economic burden to poor and developing countries of the world. Most malaria associated deaths occur in children below 5 years. The suggestion that antibodies and toxic nature of fetal hemoglobin provide immunity against malaria in children less than 6 months had been disproven. With Ghana having no treatment guideline on the management of uncomplicated malaria in this age group, this study ascertained how Ghanaian prescribers manage malaria in this special risk group.