RESUMO
In Togo, the principal strategy for preventing death from malaria in children is prompt treatment of fever with antimalaria drugs. A household survey was conducted in a rural area of south-central Togo in which information was collected from mothers on the treatment received by 507 children under 5 years of age who, according to their mothers, had recently had fever. Altogether, 20 percent of the children (95 percent confidence interval (CI):15-25 percent) were seen at the health centre during their illness, while 83 percent (95 percent CI:76-90 percent) were treated at home with an antimalarial drug. Of the children in the latter group, 97 percent received the drug on the first day of fever. In contrast, only 17 percent of children who attended a health centre were seen on the first day of their fever. Chloroquine, usually obtained from a street or market vendor, was used for 94 percent of the treatments given at home. Based on children's weights and treatment histories provided by their mothers, the median total dosage of chloroquine given at home was 12.8 mg per kg body weight -more than that recommended and known to be fully effective in Togo at the time of the survey (10 mg per kg) and less than the total dosage recommended at present (25 mg per kg). The dosage administered was considered to be inadequate for ...(AU)