Consumer response and satisfaction to prepackaged antimalarial drugs for children in Aba, Nigeria

In July 2003, a consortium of three USAID partners launched a project to promote the correct use of color-coded, age-specific, prepackaged drugs (PPDs) to treat malaria promptly in preschool-aged children in Aba, Abia State, Nigeria. A 3-pronged promotional approach included training of patent medicine vendors (PMVs), home visits by community health promoters, and mass media. Five hundred seventy respondents were interviewed in February-March 2004. People heard about the PPDs from medicine sellers (33.4%), health workers (24.3%), the electronic mass media (18.4%), and friends or relatives (13.5%). Most children (81.1%) took Robaquine (chloroquine-CQ), while 108 (18.9%) took Fansidar (sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine-SP). The median amount paid for Robaquine was 50 naira (dollars 0.36) and for Fansidar, 80 naira (dollars 0.57). Respondents rated the effectiveness of the PPD treatment as very effective (86.8%). Most respondents had something positive to say about the drug (94.9%) and the packaging (93.8%). Only 19.5%) had a complaint about either the drug or the packaging. Overall, 454 (83.9%) received the correct age-appropriate packet. Continuing education is needed for the PMVs to ensure that they obtain accurate age information about the child and sell the age-specific packet. Underdosing is just as serious a concern as overdosing in Nigeria where parasite resistance is rapidly developing for both drugs.