Ed394750c8bd42e40e756abbd3cec3fb6e891f28

ABSTRACT

Approximately, out of 3.4 billion people worldwide who are exposed to malaria annually, 1.2 billion are mainly children 0-5 years, and pregnant women. (WHO,2013). Malaria is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Uganda

and is responsible for up to 40% of all outpatient visits, 25% of all hospital admissions and 14% of all hospital deaths. From Unpublished medical records of Katooke health Centre III (2016) indicated that approximately 15 malaria cases

among under-five years children reported every week, equivalent to 720 cases that year.

A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study employed simple random sampling technique to select mothers and care takers of under-five years children as participants in the study to recruit 67 respondents from whom data was collected

using a structured questionnaire.

The results indicated that; majority of mothers and care takers were aged 20-30 years (50.7%), biological parents (86.4%). With low levels of education (with 66.6% primary level, and 22.3% none at all), peasants (80.5%). Majority (95.5%)

had ever heard about malaria in under five years children; mothers knew fever (89.5%), vomiting (74.6%) and diarrhea (67.1%) as signs of malaria. Mothers lacked knowledge on vulnerable age group (