Assessment of Malaria Treatment Practices Among Patent Medicine Vendors in Onitsha, Anambra State, South East Nigeria

Patent medicine vendors are often the first point of contact for febrile patients seeking malaria treatment in Nigerian communities, making their treatment practices a critical determinant of public health outcomes. This study assessed malaria treatment practices among patent medicine vendors in Onitsha, Anambra State, South East Nigeria. A cross-sectional study design was employed, with 80 registered patent medicine vendors surveyed using structured questionnaires and a mystery shopper approach to observe actual dispensing behaviors. Variables assessed included knowledge of current malaria treatment guidelines, drug stocking patterns, and management of pediatric malaria cases. Findings indicated that only 48 percent of vendors consistently recommended artemisinin-based combination therapy as first-line treatment in accordance with Nigeria's national guidelines. Chloroquine, which is no longer recommended as first-line therapy, was still stocked and sold by 27 percent of vendors. Pediatric dosing was incorrectly calculated by over 60 percent of vendors during the mystery shopper assessment. Vendor knowledge of treatment guidelines was positively associated with participation in recent training sessions organized by regulatory bodies. These findings suggest that patent medicine vendor training programs and supervisory visits by pharmacists and regulatory officials need to be intensified and sustained. Regular monitoring and regulatory enforcement are crucial to align vendor practices with current evidence-based malaria management protocols. Keywords: malaria treatment, patent medicine vendors, Onitsha, artemisinin-based combination therapy, community health