This study was conducted to determine the malariometric indices of children in three different settings in Ibadan, Nigeria. Children were recruited from an urban slum (Oloomi) and a periurban (Sasa) and a rural community (Igbanda) in Ibadan. Children aged between 2 and 10 years were randomly selected from primary schools in the urban and periurban areas. In the rural community, children were recruited from the centre of the village. A total of 670 (55.0%) out of 1218 children recruited were positive for malaria parasitaemia. The urban population had the highest proportion of children with malaria parasitaemia. Splenomegaly was present in 31.5%, hepatomegaly in 41.5%, hepatosplenomegaly in 27.5%, and anaemia in 25.2% of the children. The parasite density was not significantly different among children in the three communities. Children in the rural community had the highest mean PCV of 34.2% and the lowest rates of splenomegaly (6.1%), hepatomegaly (7.6%), and hepatosplenomegaly (4.6%). The spleen rates, liver rates, and presence of hepatosplenomegaly and anaemia were similar in the urban and periurban communities. The malariometric indices among the asymptomatic carriers were high, especially in the urban slum. This stresses the need for intensified efforts at controlling the disease in the study area.

We present data on factors associated with poor treatment outcome (death or recovery with a neurological complication) among children treated for malaria in Ibadan, Nigeria. A total of 2468 children (1532 with uncomplicated and 936 with severe malaria) were recruited from three government facilities. History was obtained from caregivers and malarial parasite test was carried out on each child. About 76.0% of caregivers had instituted home treatment. Following treatment, 2207 (89.5%) children recovered without complications, 9.1% recovered with neurological complications, and 1.4% died. The possibility of poor treatment outcome increased with decreasing child’s age (P<0.0001). A statistically significant proportion of children with pallor, jaundice, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, respiratory distress, and severe anaemia had poor treatment outcome. Following logistic regression, child’s age < 12 months compared to older age groups (O.R = 5.99, 95% C.I = 1.15–31.15, and P=0.033) and loss of consciousness (O.R = 4.55, 95% CI = 1.72–12.08, and P=0.002) was significantly associated with poor treatment outcome. We recommend interventions to improve caregivers’ awareness on the importance of seeking medical care early. This will enhance early diagnosis and treatment and reduce the likelihood of complications that lead to poor treatment outcomes.

Mobile Immunization for working mothers (SheVaccs) is an intervention targeted at working mothers in the informal markets of Ibadan to address problem of vaccine hesitance and drop-out among different categories of mother. These mothers have great responsibilities–keeping their homes stable and their children healthy. But these mothers have challenges of different magnitudes that prevented them from immunizing their children, and for teenage mothers they are faced with socio-cultural and socio-economic obstacles and have not responded positively to childhood immunization. In relation to these challenges, SheVaccs intervention study provided friendly immunization, counselling services, and information around vaccination schedules to working mothers in Ibadan, Nigeria. The intervention covered adolescent and young mothers’ population in the selected markets. Mobile clinic was set up in 3 different purposively selected markets in Ibadan. Data were collected through qualitative methods of observation and 21 in-depth interviews with teenage mothers, and 6 key informant interviews with their significant others. All data were subjected to content analysis. The age range of mothers involved in the study was between 17–23 years, almost all participants had no post- secondary school education. All mothers in this study find it difficult to attend conventional immunization centers, due to stigmatization, subtle hostility and embarrassment they experienced during pregnancy and after in some of these centers. Many of them were ignorant and have also been mis-socialized into motherhood and childcare. They preferred an immunization service that is mobile, with “strangers” who are friendly, understanding and will not judge them for ‘‘being anti-social”. Friendly Mobile immunization services targeted at teenage and young mothers will remove clog of stigmatization and hostility and minimize incidence of childhood Immunization Hesitance and non-compliance to schedule.