PDF, 1536K - Measure DHS

Very few children with fever are taken to a health facility or provider for treatment. Eight
percent of children are taken to a government health station for treatment, and about 4 percent of
children each are taken to a private doctor or clinic, a government health center, or a pharmacy. The
proportion of ill children taken to other sources is quite low. Differences by background characteristics
in the use of sources for treatment of children with fever are negligible.
Table 10.19 presents information on the type and source of treatment for children under five who
had fever during the two weeks preceding the survey. Seventy-eight percent of children with fever in
the two weeks preceding the survey received no treatment at all. Overall, aspirin (8 percent), followed
by antibiotics (6 percent) are the most commonly used medicines for the treatment of fever. Very few
children with fever are treated with antimalarial medication (fansidar, chloroquine, or quinine).
Antimalarial treatment for fever is predominantly provided by government health centers, government
health stations, other government facilities, and pharmacies and shops.
Table 10.19 Treatment of fever
Percentage of children under five years who were ill with a fever in the two weeks preceding the survey, who were given
specific treatments, by source of treatment, Ethiopia 2000
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Treatment received by children with fever
____________________________________________________________________________
No
Source Chloro- Ibu- Anti- Don't treatof
treatment Fansidar quine Quinine Aspirin profen biotics Other know ment Number
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Private physician
Hospital 1
Government health
centre
Government health
station
Other government
NGO
Pharmacy and shop
Traditional practitioner
Other
No provider
0.6 4.5 3.8 39.7 1.6 19.4 18.7 4.2 12.0 107
4.9 0.3 0.0 21.9 3.6 15.3 30.8 6.1 19.9 50
5.9 6.6 4.7 37.0 2.8 28.0 20.5 8.5 10.0 125
2.9 11.0 3.0 37.2 5.1 28.0 20.3 8.6 4.6 249
5.2 1.2 0.8 14.0 0.0 47.4 11.5 14.2 17.2 14
0.0 1.2 0.0 25.8 0.0 38.0 25.7 7.4 6.8 21
3.6 5.9 2.2 34.6 1.7 28.5 21.5 8.7 10.9 162
0.0 0.0 3.9 0.5 0.0 0.5 48.9 1.2 45.1 36
0.0 10.9 0.0 14.4 3.9 25.6 11.7 0.8 40.2 45
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 2,291
Total
0.7 1.6 0.7 8.0 0.6 6.0 5.4 1.7 78.3 3,052
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
NGO = Non-governmental organization
1 Includes both public and private facilities
10.16 STOOL DISPOSAL
If human feces are left uncontained, disease may spread by direct contact or animal contact with
the feces. Table 10.20 presents information on the disposal of the stool of children under five, by
background characteristics and type of toilet facility in the household. Seventy-seven percent of children’s
stool is left uncontained. Sixty-four percent of children’s stool is either thrown outside the dwelling or
in the yard. Less than 1 percent of children under five always use a toilet or latrine. Additionally, 8
percent of children’s stool is disposed of in the toilet or latrine, and 13 percent is buried in the yard.
There are pronounced differences among rural and urban areas in the way children’s stool is
disposed of. In urban areas, 45 percent of children’s stool is disposed of in the toilet or latrine, compared
with only 4 percent in rural areas. This marked difference could be attributed to the fact that toilet
facilities are more available in urban areas. The table also shows that 68 percent of children’s stool in
134 * Maternal and Child Health