STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF MALARIA CASES AMONG THE CHILDREN AND ADULTS

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF MALARIA CASES AMONG THE CHILDREN AND ADULTS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Malaria continues to be one of the most serious global health issues. Each year, an estimated one million children die, with nearly seventy-five percent (75%) occurring in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Malaria has a long history, dating back to its prehistoric origins as a zoometric disease in Akwa-ibom primates and continuing into the twenty-first (21st) century. Malaria is derived from the Latin words “mal” and “aria,” where “mal” means bad and “aria” means air. It is due to the mistaken belief that it was caused by poor air quality, based on the observation that it occurs primarily in damp and marshy areas.

Malaria is a tropical disease caused by the parasite plasmodium falciparum, which is carried by infected female anopheles mosquitos.

of fever and shivering. Malaria can also be caused by a parasite, which is spread from person to person by certain types of mosquitos. They feed on human flesh (anopheles mosquito). It sucks a person’s blood with its proboscis and deposits plasmodium on the person’s blood vessels. This plasmodium travels to a person’s liver, where it multiplies, and then the parasite enters the person’s bloodstream and invades the red blood cells. Toxins are produced and circulate through the bloodstream, and symptoms that appear nine to fourteen (9-14) days after mosquito bite infection include fever, vomiting, headache, and other flu-like symptoms.

If the parasites are immune to

The infection can cause severe anemia and red blood cell destruction, resulting in clogging of blood capillaries that carry blood to the brain, resulting in cerebral malaria.

For good reasons, the government general hospital, Ikot-Abasi, located in the south-west corner of Akwa-ibom state, was founded in 1933 by Anglican missionaries as a missionary hospital and later became a government-owned general hospital in 1982 in the then Calabar Province.

During the Nigeria Civil War, this general hospital served as a combined military and civilian hospital. The hospital management board was established as a parastatal from the ministry of health in 1989 to manage the hospital’s activities by the Calabar Province. The hospital possesses several departments, including an eye clinic, a dental clinic, an antenatal clinic, a radiology department, a laboratory department, a pharmacy department, and a medical records department, as well as an excellent operating theatre with a special treatment center.

1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Malaria has caused numerous health issues across the country (Nigeria). Despite efforts by individuals, governments, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to combat this scourge, it continues to pose a significant threat to society; thus, the purpose of this research is to determine the extent to which their efforts over the years have reduced the occurrence of malaria.

1.3     AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1.3.1  AIM

To investigate the prevalence of malaria among children and adults in the Local Government Area.

1.3.2  OBJECTIVES

To make the regression equation fit.
To ascertain the prevalence of malaria infection in the population.
To project the future

1.4     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This research could be extremely beneficial to the researcher, students, Akwa-Ibom state (Ikot-Abasi L.G.A), the Ministry of Health, and all other stakeholders. This study may also benefit individuals or groups interested in learning more about malaria in Akwa-Ikot-Abasi ibom’s Local Government Area.

1.5     DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This study is limited to malaria cases reported at the government general hospital in Akwa-ibom state’s Ikot-Abasi Local Government Area. 1996 to 2015.

1.6     LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This study is limited to malaria cases reported at the government general hospital in Akwa-ibom state’s Ikot-Abasi Local Government Area. 1996 to 2015.

1.7     DEFINITION OF TERMS

REPELLENT: a substance that is applied to the skin, clothing, or other surfaces to discourage insects from landing or climbing on them.

MOSQUITO ANOPHELES: This is a type of mosquito that transmits the malaria parasite to humans.

FANSIDAR is a malaria treatment that is both effective and well tolerated.

GAUZE: a very thin, light cloth used to cover cuts and separate solids from liquids in clothing.

SPORZOIDS are elongated bodies produced by an anopheles mosquito’s salivating gland.

SCHIZONT: This is the result of sporozoid multiplication and growth; it contains many merozoids and pigments.

TIME SERIES: This is a collection of observations made at a specific time, usually at regular intervals.

TOXIC METABOLITES: These are toxic byproducts of the rupture of the schizonts.