Improving access to appropriate case management for common childhood illnesses in hard-to-reach areas of Abia State, Nigeria

# Background Studies have demonstrated that trained community health workers can improve access to quality health services for under five children. Under the World Health Organization's Rapid Access Expansion Progamme, integrated community case management of childhood illnesses (iCCM) was intr...

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Main Authors: Chinwoke Isiguzo, Samantha Herrera, Joy Ufere, Ugo Enebeli, Chukwuemeka Oluoha, Jennifer Anyanti, Debra Prosnitz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Inishmore Laser Scientific Publishing Ltd 2019-05-01
Series:Journal of Global Health Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.29392/joghr.3.e2019030
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author Chinwoke Isiguzo
Samantha Herrera
Joy Ufere
Ugo Enebeli
Chukwuemeka Oluoha
Jennifer Anyanti
Debra Prosnitz
author_facet Chinwoke Isiguzo
Samantha Herrera
Joy Ufere
Ugo Enebeli
Chukwuemeka Oluoha
Jennifer Anyanti
Debra Prosnitz
author_sort Chinwoke Isiguzo
collection DOAJ
description # Background Studies have demonstrated that trained community health workers can improve access to quality health services for under five children. Under the World Health Organization's Rapid Access Expansion Progamme, integrated community case management of childhood illnesses (iCCM) was introduced in Abia and Niger States, Nigeria in 2013. The objective of the program was to increase the number of children 2-59 months receiving quality life-saving treatment for malaria, pneumonia and diarrhoea by extending case management through community-oriented resource persons (CORPs). We present findings from household surveys comparing baseline and endline data to assess changes in sick child care-seeking, assessment, and treatment coverage provided over the project period in Abia State. # Methods A baseline household survey was conducted in May 2014 and an endline survey in February 2017. The surveys used multi-stage cluster sampling of primary caregivers of children aged 2-59 months who had been recently sick with diarrhoea, fever, or cough with difficult breathing. # Results Care-seeking from an appropriate provider improved significantly from 69% at baseline to 77% at endline (*P*\<0.01). At baseline, patent and proprietary medicine vendors (PPMVs) (55%) and health centers (34%) were the main providers of care for iCCM services; by endline, CORPs became the main source (48%), followed by PPMVs (36%) and health centers (25%). # Conclusions Overall, the findings demonstrate improvements in care-seeking. Care-seeking practices shifted over the course of the project, with more caregivers seeking care from CORPs by the end of the project. The findings suggest that scaling up iCCM in Nigeria may improve access to appropriate treatment for under five children living in hard-to-reach areas.
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spelling doaj-art-9aa24c7f828345ea92d2f4a797d95d8c2025-08-20T03:45:23ZengInishmore Laser Scientific Publishing LtdJournal of Global Health Reports2399-16232019-05-01310.29392/joghr.3.e2019030Improving access to appropriate case management for common childhood illnesses in hard-to-reach areas of Abia State, NigeriaChinwoke IsiguzoSamantha HerreraJoy UfereUgo EnebeliChukwuemeka OluohaJennifer AnyantiDebra Prosnitz# Background Studies have demonstrated that trained community health workers can improve access to quality health services for under five children. Under the World Health Organization's Rapid Access Expansion Progamme, integrated community case management of childhood illnesses (iCCM) was introduced in Abia and Niger States, Nigeria in 2013. The objective of the program was to increase the number of children 2-59 months receiving quality life-saving treatment for malaria, pneumonia and diarrhoea by extending case management through community-oriented resource persons (CORPs). We present findings from household surveys comparing baseline and endline data to assess changes in sick child care-seeking, assessment, and treatment coverage provided over the project period in Abia State. # Methods A baseline household survey was conducted in May 2014 and an endline survey in February 2017. The surveys used multi-stage cluster sampling of primary caregivers of children aged 2-59 months who had been recently sick with diarrhoea, fever, or cough with difficult breathing. # Results Care-seeking from an appropriate provider improved significantly from 69% at baseline to 77% at endline (*P*\<0.01). At baseline, patent and proprietary medicine vendors (PPMVs) (55%) and health centers (34%) were the main providers of care for iCCM services; by endline, CORPs became the main source (48%), followed by PPMVs (36%) and health centers (25%). # Conclusions Overall, the findings demonstrate improvements in care-seeking. Care-seeking practices shifted over the course of the project, with more caregivers seeking care from CORPs by the end of the project. The findings suggest that scaling up iCCM in Nigeria may improve access to appropriate treatment for under five children living in hard-to-reach areas.https://doi.org/10.29392/joghr.3.e2019030
spellingShingle Chinwoke Isiguzo
Samantha Herrera
Joy Ufere
Ugo Enebeli
Chukwuemeka Oluoha
Jennifer Anyanti
Debra Prosnitz
Improving access to appropriate case management for common childhood illnesses in hard-to-reach areas of Abia State, Nigeria
Journal of Global Health Reports
title Improving access to appropriate case management for common childhood illnesses in hard-to-reach areas of Abia State, Nigeria
title_full Improving access to appropriate case management for common childhood illnesses in hard-to-reach areas of Abia State, Nigeria
title_fullStr Improving access to appropriate case management for common childhood illnesses in hard-to-reach areas of Abia State, Nigeria
title_full_unstemmed Improving access to appropriate case management for common childhood illnesses in hard-to-reach areas of Abia State, Nigeria
title_short Improving access to appropriate case management for common childhood illnesses in hard-to-reach areas of Abia State, Nigeria
title_sort improving access to appropriate case management for common childhood illnesses in hard to reach areas of abia state nigeria
url https://doi.org/10.29392/joghr.3.e2019030
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