Impact of the home-based management of malaria on morbidity and mortality in under-five children in Penka-Michel and Santchou Health Districts of Cameroon

In Cameroon in 2017, malaria accounted for 53% of hospitalizations, 61% of deaths among under-five children. The National Program adopted since 2015 the integrated Community Directed Interventions (CDI) for the control of malaria. This study determined the impact of the home-based management of childhood malaria morbidity and mortality in the Penka-Michel and Santchou Health Districts of the West Region in Cameroon. A retrospective hospital record-based study was carried out to assess childhood malaria morbidity and mortality in Penka-Michel where CDI is implemented and in Santchou Health District where CDI is not implemented. Childhood malaria morbidity and mortality were determined from July 2014 to June 2019. The analysis of variance was used to compare the morbidity and mortality before and after CDI. P values of less than 0.05 was considered statistical significant. A total of 32,976 consultations files of children under-five were reviewed. The number of malaria cases increased significantly from 2733 (33.7%) before CDI to 5202 (38.4%) after CDI in the Penka Michel Health District but decreased from 2003 (41.9%) before CDI to 1723 (40.7%) after CDI in the Santchou Health District. The number of deaths caused by malaria increased from pre to post CDI in the Santchou Health District from 1(10%) before CDI to 3(30%) after CDI but decreased in the Penka Michel Health District from 5 (22.7%) before CDI to 3 (13.6%) after CDI. The implementation of the integrated CDI of malaria in the Penka Michel Health District has benefited the population by enhancing early detection of childhood malaria cases through CHWs in the community; thus significantly increasing morbidity and decreasing mortality. Key words: Cameroon, children under five, malaria, morbidity, mortality, integrated CDI.