Malaria N° 9 - Subject N° 9

THE CASE MANAGEMENT OF UNCOMPLICATED MALARIA
J.B. Ouedraogo

SUMMARY
Malaria has become a major priority health care problem throughout the world and particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. It constitutes the primary cause of morbidity and mortality. The campaign against malaria is now recognised by several countries and international or regional bodies (WHO, UNICEF, OAU, ...) as being an urgent priority for Africa.

Case management is one of the components of the strategy stated in 1992 in the world-wide antimalarial declaration of Amsterdam. The case management of uncomplicated malaria represents a realistic saving of life in severe malaria. It consists of two main stages: early diagnosis and suitable and rapid treatment, These stages must be observed at all levels of the national health care system, i.e. at the community level and at the reference hospital level. Promotion of the correct case management of malaria within the home environment requires an increase, by the mother, in the understanding of the clinical manifestations. It should also enable an increase in the correct level of use of antimalarials and a rapid referral of severe cases to a health unit for better case management, Medicines advocated for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria are identified by each PNLP and consist of the first-line antimalarials. In the majority of cases these are chloroquine or amodiaquine at a dosage of 25 mg/kg over three days or sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine, 25 mg/kg as a single dose.