Experiences in the care of malaria infected children in a pediatric inpatient ward in Tanzania

Citation: 
Nyberg, Tove
Publication year: 
2013

Background: The number of children under the age of five who dies of malaria per thousand births is sixteen in Tanzania. Even though improvements have been made there are still many challenges in the care of malaria infected children.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the experiences that nurses and relatives to malaria infected children have regarding the pediatric malaria care at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, Tanzania.

Method: Semi structured interviews were conducted among three nurses and three relatives to malaria infected children within a pediatric ward at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, Tanzania. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and then analysed.

Result: All the nurses agreed that the major challenge in the care of malaria infected children is the lack of knowledge from the relatives about prevention of malaria. This results in a lack of adherence among the relatives concerning prevention. The relatives agreed about their lack of knowledge about malaria and they wished for more education. They also considered the workload to be an issue for the nurses at the ward. The availability for the child to get treatment depends whether they are from a rural area or city.

Conclusion: To continue the fight against malaria among children it is of great importance to focus on the relatives lack of knowledge about malaria, the workload issue and the long distance to hospital.