AGE OF ILL PERSONS
Majority of persons who reported illness in households were males (55%). Their ages ranged mainly between 1-5 years (23%) and 16 - 54 years (49%). Most of the respondents reported having had fever while fewer persons complained of cough and diarrhoea.
Symptoms Reported
Symptoms |
% of persons |
Diarrhoea |
10.4 |
Cough |
24.6 |
Fever |
59.7 |
Others |
46.4 |
Sources of Consultation
Care provider |
% of respondents |
| |
Public |
Private |
Others |
Traditional healer |
|
6 |
|
Public health clinic/hospital |
38 |
0 |
|
Private health clinic/hospital |
|
16 |
|
Private pharmacy |
|
7 |
|
Drug store |
|
23 |
|
Friends/neighbours/family |
|
0 |
2 |
Bought medicine without consultation |
|
0 |
5 |
Used medicine left over from another illness |
|
0 |
1 |
Did nothing |
|
0 |
2 |
Total |
38 |
52 |
12 |
The most important sources of consultation are the public health centre/hospital, the drug store and the private health centre/hospital as shown in the table above. Results show a higher utilisation of the private sector than the public sector.
Sources of Drugs Utilised
Drug provider |
% of respondents |
| |
Public |
Private |
Others |
Traditional healer |
|
5 |
|
Public health clinic/hospital |
35 |
0 |
|
Private health clinic/hospital |
|
17 |
|
Pharmacist |
|
8 |
|
Drug seller |
|
25 |
|
Advice from friend/neighbour/family |
|
1 |
|
Bought medicine without consultation |
|
0 |
6 |
Used Medicine from another illness |
|
0 |
2 |
Did nothing |
|
0 |
3 |
Total |
35 |
56 |
11 |
Patients generally obtained their medicines where they sought consultation and a majority indicated purchasing their medicines from the private sector.
Drugs Purchased after Consultation
Level of purchase of medications |
% of respondents |
All |
89 |
Some |
9 |
None |
2 |
Most of the respondents (89%) obtained all their prescribed medicines after consultations. However majority of those who did not, attributed it to financial incapability (36%) and unavailability of medicine in public pharmacy (28%).
Reasons Given for Not Purchasing All Medicines
Price was too high |
1 |
Did not have enough money |
4 |
Not able to borrow enough money |
0 |
Too many medicines were needed |
0 |
Did not believe all the medicines were needed |
0 |
Started to feel better |
0 |
No time to get all the medicines |
0 |
Traditional healer did not have all the medicines |
0 |
Public pharmacy did not have all the medicines |
5 |
Private pharmacy did not have all the medicines |
0 |
Drug seller did not have all the medicines |
0 |
Already had some of the medicines at home |
2 |
Other |
0 |
The average expenditure on medicines for the treatment of an episode of illness was 4.42 USD; the average total weekly expenditure was estimated at 19.3 USD. This means that 23% of household expenditure is spent to treat an episode of illness not requiring hospitalisation.
Expenditure on medicines
Average cost of medicines in Naira |
760 |
Average cost of medicines in USD |
4.42 |
Average income/expenditure in Naira |
2456 |
Average income/expenditure in USD |
19.26 |
Expenditure/Income |
23% |
