Evaluating The Integrated Community Case Management For Childhood Illnesses on Care Given at Drugs Shops in Owerri North

ABSTRACT           

Nigeria has the largest number of malaria, pneumonia and diarrhoea-related deaths. While it is important that the country attains universal coverage of key childhood illness interventions, poor attention is given on the implementation iCCM in private health facilities, including drug shops, where close to a third of the population seek health care. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role and outcome on improved care after introducing integrated community case management (iCCM) in private sector registered drug shops in Eastern Nigeria, in order to contribute to rational use of drugs and child survival from malaria, pneumonia and diarrhoea. A total of 17 drug shops were sampled at Ulakwo and another 20 sample at Emii, Imo state Nigeria. ICCM equipment was made available to the drug shops and additional training was offered to the drug shops at Emii as in form of intervention. They were both assessed at baseline and endline using a questionnaire. Those who were taking the proper diagnostics were 54% while 86.4% were given the proper medicines. Up to 62% recorded the age. At baseline, the drug shop dealers were not keeping proper record of information about the patients but they improved with intervention from 15% to 45% in both paper and computer recoding at post training survey. The adherence to treatment guidelines on the management of malaria, pneumonia and diarrhoea for the under-fives among trained drug shop also showed significant improvements on post training survey, with the overall adherence level increasing from 50% to 95%. The results of this study highlighted the need for a more proactive utilisation of iCCM strategy in the communities with the provision of training, materials, supervision and logistic. Since most care givers sought care at drug shops, it is important to give constant iCCM training among drug shop sellers