Prevalence of Malaria Among HIV/AIDS Patients Attending HIV Clinic at Ishaka Adventist Hospital in Bushenyi District

ABSTRACT

The study assessed the prevalence of malaria in HIV/AIDS patients attending the HIV clinic at Ishaka Adventist Hospital, the study objectives were to determine the proportion of HIV patients with malaria, to identify the clinical manifestations of malaria among HIV-positive patients and to review different techniques used in the diagnosis of malaria at Ishaka Adventist Hospital in Bushenyi district. A descriptive cross-sectional study was used for known HIV-positive patients attending Ishaka Adventist Hospital and involved systematic random sampling of participants. The study found out that malaria prevalence was high among HIV patients at 9.8%, and nearly all patients who were diagnosed with malaria reported having had fever previously 87.1%, the presentation of malaria can better be assessed as uncomplicated malaria and complicated malaria and in this study majority of the signs assessed were of uncomplicated malaria, diagnostic measures of laboratory remain the most perfect way of diagnosing malaria other than clinical assessment, especially in HIV patients who are immunocompromised nd can be ill of various opportunistic infection. In conclusion, although various methods have been advanced to curb the malaria epidemic, the prevalence is still high, so the following are recommendations; the government should distribute more mosquito nets, especially for those who are immunocompromised like HIV patients, agencies for fighting malaria and those of HIV should work together in order to reduce the number of HIV patients getting malaria infection, patients should be health educated on the main signs and symptoms of malaria such that they can quickly seek medical attention in case of the need, patients should be encouraged to take their ARVs to maintain their immunity relatively high so that they are not severely affected by malaria