Hospital attendance, malaria prevalence and self-medication with an antimalarial drug before and after the start of COVID-19 pandemic in a sentinel site for malaria surveillance in Gabon
Abstract Background The negative impact of COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare service utilization has been reported in several countries. In Gabon, data on the preparedness for future pandemic are lacking. The aim of the present study was to assess the trends of hospital attendance, malaria and self-me...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Malaria Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-025-05272-2 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832586071245848576 |
|---|---|
| author | Denise Patricia Mawili-Mboumba Fanny Bertrande Batchy Ognagosso Noé Patrick M’Bondoukwé Jacques Mari Ndong Ngomo Bridy Chesly Moutombi Ditombi Ahmed Adissa Agbanrin Tatiana Nymane Bedrich Pongui Ngondza Reinne Moutongo Mouandza Coella Joyce Mihindou Dimitri Ardin Mabika Moussavou Ornella Anaïse Mbang Nguema Marielle Karine Bouyou-Akotet |
| author_facet | Denise Patricia Mawili-Mboumba Fanny Bertrande Batchy Ognagosso Noé Patrick M’Bondoukwé Jacques Mari Ndong Ngomo Bridy Chesly Moutombi Ditombi Ahmed Adissa Agbanrin Tatiana Nymane Bedrich Pongui Ngondza Reinne Moutongo Mouandza Coella Joyce Mihindou Dimitri Ardin Mabika Moussavou Ornella Anaïse Mbang Nguema Marielle Karine Bouyou-Akotet |
| author_sort | Denise Patricia Mawili-Mboumba |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The negative impact of COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare service utilization has been reported in several countries. In Gabon, data on the preparedness for future pandemic are lacking. The aim of the present study was to assess the trends of hospital attendance, malaria and self-medication prevalences as well as ITN use before and during Covid-19 first epidemic waves in a paediatric wards of a sentinel site for malaria surveillance, in Libreville, Gabon. Methods This was a retrospective descriptive and hospital-based survey which was conducted at the Regional Hospital of Melen Estuaire (RHME). Census of files of patients below 18 years of age attending for fever management with a result of malaria biological diagnosis from January 2018 to December 2022 was conducted. Comparison of the prevalence of microscopic malaria, ITN use, self-medication and the fever duration prior the screening before and after year 2020 was performed using bivariate and multivariate analysis. Results Overall, 14428 febrile participants were screened for malaria. A 15% increase in the number of febrile patients was observed between 2019 and 2020 while this rate was above 100% in 2021 and 2022. The frequency of self-medication significantly doubled in 2020 and 2021 compared to the pre-COVID-19 period (p < 0.01). Previous self-medication was more common during the COVID-19 period compared to the COVID-19 one (aOR = 2.15 [1.91–2.42]) (p < 0.01). Among the 7259 (51.2%) patients screened after 3 days of fever onset, self-anti-malarial treatment was reported for 17.5% of them in 2019 and for more than 30% of them from 2020: 33.3% in 2020, 35.0% in 2021 and 32.3% in 2022 (p < 0.01). The median of fever duration was significantly higher in the group of participants with a previous self-medication (p < 0.01). Positive blood smears frequency was higher in the COVID-19 period (35.6%; n = 3876/10868) compared to the pre-COVID-19 period (23.6%) (OR = 1.79[1.59–2.02], (p < 0.01). Conclusion Malaria prevalence and care-seeking behaviours for fever management in children significantly changed during the COVID-19 epidemic phase and subsequent years in the main malaria sentinel surveillance site of Gabon. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-85782a844eb241fa836cb67d5480b148 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1475-2875 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Malaria Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-85782a844eb241fa836cb67d5480b1482025-01-26T12:15:55ZengBMCMalaria Journal1475-28752025-01-0124111010.1186/s12936-025-05272-2Hospital attendance, malaria prevalence and self-medication with an antimalarial drug before and after the start of COVID-19 pandemic in a sentinel site for malaria surveillance in GabonDenise Patricia Mawili-Mboumba0Fanny Bertrande Batchy Ognagosso1Noé Patrick M’Bondoukwé2Jacques Mari Ndong Ngomo3Bridy Chesly Moutombi Ditombi4Ahmed Adissa Agbanrin5Tatiana Nymane6Bedrich Pongui Ngondza7Reinne Moutongo Mouandza8Coella Joyce Mihindou9Dimitri Ardin Mabika Moussavou10Ornella Anaïse Mbang Nguema11Marielle Karine Bouyou-Akotet12Department of Parasitology-Mycology and Tropical Medicine, Université Des Sciences de La Santé de LibrevilleDepartment of Parasitology-Mycology and Tropical Medicine, Université Des Sciences de La Santé de LibrevilleDepartment of Parasitology-Mycology and Tropical Medicine, Université Des Sciences de La Santé de LibrevilleDepartment of Parasitology-Mycology and Tropical Medicine, Université Des Sciences de La Santé de LibrevilleDepartment of Parasitology-Mycology and Tropical Medicine, Université Des Sciences de La Santé de LibrevilleOperational and Clinical Research Unit, Regional Hospital Estuaire MelenOperational and Clinical Research Unit, Regional Hospital Estuaire MelenDepartment of Parasitology-Mycology and Tropical Medicine, Université Des Sciences de La Santé de LibrevilleDepartment of Parasitology-Mycology and Tropical Medicine, Université Des Sciences de La Santé de LibrevilleDepartment of Parasitology-Mycology and Tropical Medicine, Université Des Sciences de La Santé de LibrevilleDepartment of Parasitology-Mycology and Tropical Medicine, Université Des Sciences de La Santé de LibrevilleDepartment of Parasitology-Mycology and Tropical Medicine, Université Des Sciences de La Santé de LibrevilleDepartment of Parasitology-Mycology and Tropical Medicine, Université Des Sciences de La Santé de LibrevilleAbstract Background The negative impact of COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare service utilization has been reported in several countries. In Gabon, data on the preparedness for future pandemic are lacking. The aim of the present study was to assess the trends of hospital attendance, malaria and self-medication prevalences as well as ITN use before and during Covid-19 first epidemic waves in a paediatric wards of a sentinel site for malaria surveillance, in Libreville, Gabon. Methods This was a retrospective descriptive and hospital-based survey which was conducted at the Regional Hospital of Melen Estuaire (RHME). Census of files of patients below 18 years of age attending for fever management with a result of malaria biological diagnosis from January 2018 to December 2022 was conducted. Comparison of the prevalence of microscopic malaria, ITN use, self-medication and the fever duration prior the screening before and after year 2020 was performed using bivariate and multivariate analysis. Results Overall, 14428 febrile participants were screened for malaria. A 15% increase in the number of febrile patients was observed between 2019 and 2020 while this rate was above 100% in 2021 and 2022. The frequency of self-medication significantly doubled in 2020 and 2021 compared to the pre-COVID-19 period (p < 0.01). Previous self-medication was more common during the COVID-19 period compared to the COVID-19 one (aOR = 2.15 [1.91–2.42]) (p < 0.01). Among the 7259 (51.2%) patients screened after 3 days of fever onset, self-anti-malarial treatment was reported for 17.5% of them in 2019 and for more than 30% of them from 2020: 33.3% in 2020, 35.0% in 2021 and 32.3% in 2022 (p < 0.01). The median of fever duration was significantly higher in the group of participants with a previous self-medication (p < 0.01). Positive blood smears frequency was higher in the COVID-19 period (35.6%; n = 3876/10868) compared to the pre-COVID-19 period (23.6%) (OR = 1.79[1.59–2.02], (p < 0.01). Conclusion Malaria prevalence and care-seeking behaviours for fever management in children significantly changed during the COVID-19 epidemic phase and subsequent years in the main malaria sentinel surveillance site of Gabon.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-025-05272-2MalariaCOVID-19OutpatientsAttendanceGabon |
| spellingShingle | Denise Patricia Mawili-Mboumba Fanny Bertrande Batchy Ognagosso Noé Patrick M’Bondoukwé Jacques Mari Ndong Ngomo Bridy Chesly Moutombi Ditombi Ahmed Adissa Agbanrin Tatiana Nymane Bedrich Pongui Ngondza Reinne Moutongo Mouandza Coella Joyce Mihindou Dimitri Ardin Mabika Moussavou Ornella Anaïse Mbang Nguema Marielle Karine Bouyou-Akotet Hospital attendance, malaria prevalence and self-medication with an antimalarial drug before and after the start of COVID-19 pandemic in a sentinel site for malaria surveillance in Gabon Malaria Journal Malaria COVID-19 Outpatients Attendance Gabon |
| title | Hospital attendance, malaria prevalence and self-medication with an antimalarial drug before and after the start of COVID-19 pandemic in a sentinel site for malaria surveillance in Gabon |
| title_full | Hospital attendance, malaria prevalence and self-medication with an antimalarial drug before and after the start of COVID-19 pandemic in a sentinel site for malaria surveillance in Gabon |
| title_fullStr | Hospital attendance, malaria prevalence and self-medication with an antimalarial drug before and after the start of COVID-19 pandemic in a sentinel site for malaria surveillance in Gabon |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hospital attendance, malaria prevalence and self-medication with an antimalarial drug before and after the start of COVID-19 pandemic in a sentinel site for malaria surveillance in Gabon |
| title_short | Hospital attendance, malaria prevalence and self-medication with an antimalarial drug before and after the start of COVID-19 pandemic in a sentinel site for malaria surveillance in Gabon |
| title_sort | hospital attendance malaria prevalence and self medication with an antimalarial drug before and after the start of covid 19 pandemic in a sentinel site for malaria surveillance in gabon |
| topic | Malaria COVID-19 Outpatients Attendance Gabon |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-025-05272-2 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT denisepatriciamawilimboumba hospitalattendancemalariaprevalenceandselfmedicationwithanantimalarialdrugbeforeandafterthestartofcovid19pandemicinasentinelsiteformalariasurveillanceingabon AT fannybertrandebatchyognagosso hospitalattendancemalariaprevalenceandselfmedicationwithanantimalarialdrugbeforeandafterthestartofcovid19pandemicinasentinelsiteformalariasurveillanceingabon AT noepatrickmbondoukwe hospitalattendancemalariaprevalenceandselfmedicationwithanantimalarialdrugbeforeandafterthestartofcovid19pandemicinasentinelsiteformalariasurveillanceingabon AT jacquesmarindongngomo hospitalattendancemalariaprevalenceandselfmedicationwithanantimalarialdrugbeforeandafterthestartofcovid19pandemicinasentinelsiteformalariasurveillanceingabon AT bridycheslymoutombiditombi hospitalattendancemalariaprevalenceandselfmedicationwithanantimalarialdrugbeforeandafterthestartofcovid19pandemicinasentinelsiteformalariasurveillanceingabon AT ahmedadissaagbanrin hospitalattendancemalariaprevalenceandselfmedicationwithanantimalarialdrugbeforeandafterthestartofcovid19pandemicinasentinelsiteformalariasurveillanceingabon AT tatiananymane hospitalattendancemalariaprevalenceandselfmedicationwithanantimalarialdrugbeforeandafterthestartofcovid19pandemicinasentinelsiteformalariasurveillanceingabon AT bedrichponguingondza hospitalattendancemalariaprevalenceandselfmedicationwithanantimalarialdrugbeforeandafterthestartofcovid19pandemicinasentinelsiteformalariasurveillanceingabon AT reinnemoutongomouandza hospitalattendancemalariaprevalenceandselfmedicationwithanantimalarialdrugbeforeandafterthestartofcovid19pandemicinasentinelsiteformalariasurveillanceingabon AT coellajoycemihindou hospitalattendancemalariaprevalenceandselfmedicationwithanantimalarialdrugbeforeandafterthestartofcovid19pandemicinasentinelsiteformalariasurveillanceingabon AT dimitriardinmabikamoussavou hospitalattendancemalariaprevalenceandselfmedicationwithanantimalarialdrugbeforeandafterthestartofcovid19pandemicinasentinelsiteformalariasurveillanceingabon AT ornellaanaisembangnguema hospitalattendancemalariaprevalenceandselfmedicationwithanantimalarialdrugbeforeandafterthestartofcovid19pandemicinasentinelsiteformalariasurveillanceingabon AT mariellekarinebouyouakotet hospitalattendancemalariaprevalenceandselfmedicationwithanantimalarialdrugbeforeandafterthestartofcovid19pandemicinasentinelsiteformalariasurveillanceingabon |