Publications

Globally, it was noted that over 92 countries and territories have ongoing malaria transmission with an estimated3.2 billion people who were at risk of getting infected. The WHO indicates that 207 million people are infectedwith malaria worldwide and of these 627,000 cases result in deaths. Children below five years are the mostsusceptible to malaria illness which accounts for estimated deaths of 303,000 before reaching age five globally and292,000 occur in the Africa region. The general objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of malariaand the associated factors among children below 5 years in Fort Portal Town, kabarole district. The study alsoaimed at determining the socio-economic demographic, caretaker, household, and environment associated withmalaria prevalence within the defined age group. The study employed quantitative and qualitative researchdesigns where questionnaires and interview guides were used to collect data from the field. All data was groupedand analyzed in a statistical way where data was presented in tables showing frequencies and percentages. Theprevalence of malaria was high 204 (53%) and the factors that were significant with malaria prevalence included;household sources of light and environmental factors about the presence of garbage heaps. The prevalence ofmalaria was high and it was influenced by the household source of light and garbage heaps around the homes. Thisstudy recommended that caretakers should not stop knowing malaria prevention transmission, but should have apositive attitude toward implementing the preventive measures. Health unit workers, community health workers,and VHTs together with stakeholders should put in more effort to ensure that information about malaria iscommunicated to the caretakers in languages best understood and should mainly target the vulnerable householdsin the community. The town council authorities and local leaders must work with the community to ensure propergarbage disposal.Keywords: Malaria, Children below five years, Deaths, Garbage Heaps, Caretakers.