KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE OF THE PILGRIMS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SANCTUARY, ELELE, NIGERIA TOWARDS ANTIMALARIAL DRUGS

Background: According to WHO, in 2018, an estimated 228 million cases of malaria occurred worldwide (95% confidence interval (206–258 million), compared with 251 million cases in 2010 (95% confidence interval 231–278 million) and 231 million cases. In sub-Saharan Africa Several factors contribute to the prevalence of malaria in Nigeria such as weather conditions, overcrowded living conditions, poor sanitary conditions, poor knowledge and practice toward anti-malarial drugs, access to quality health care (Borgen, 2022). Objectives: This study investigates the relationship between the level of knowledge, attitude, and practice of Pilgrim towards anti-malaria drugs. Methods: This study made use of a cross sectional descriptive survey design was used for this study to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and practices of Pilgrim towards antimalarial drugs at the International Sanctuary of Jesus the Saviour and Mother Mary, Elele, Rivers State, Nigeria. A total number of 700 pilgrims who attended the pilgrimage week in the month of November 2022. In the International Sanctuary, Elele, Nigeria were selected . The data collected was analyzed using Statistical Software Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20, and the test of association was carried out using Chi square at 95% significance level and p-value of 0.05. Results: From a total of 700 pilgrims, 315 (45%) were males and 384(54%) were females. It shows that majority of the respondents strongly disagrees that it is okay to take left over anti-malaria drugs when you think you have malaria symptoms, more than half of the respondents disagreed that it is necessary to complete the 3 days regime of anti -malaria drugs while the remaining respondents agreed to this. The percentage of respondents that strongly agreed that one should get a course of malaria treatment drugs from a health worker or community based provider when one has been diagnosed with malaria 15.3%. 34.6% of the respondents said they don’t know about anti-malarial drugs and 65.4% of respondents said they know about anti-malarial drugs meaning the study population has a good knowledge on anti-malarial drugs. This study was carried out in the international sanctuary of Jesus: the savior and mother Mary, Elele, River state, Nigeria and considered the knowledge, attitude and pilgrim practice towards anti-malaria drug. Conclusion: The study revealed that the study participants have knowledge on antimalarial drugs but most of them were unaware that when an anti-malaria drug is been misused it can lead to anti-malaria drug resistance. This therefore pioneered the need to create awareness the use of Anti-malaria drugs among pilgrims.