Demographic and Health Survey 2009-10 - Timor-Leste Ministry of ...

138 | Child Health
Seventy-three percent of children with a fever were taken to a health facility or provider for
treatment. Six percent of children under age 5 with fever in the two weeks preceding the survey were
given antimalarial drugs, and 36 percent received antibiotics. According to the Integrated
Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) and the national malaria treatment guidelines, all children
with fever should be tested for malaria parasites using either a microscope or rapid diagnostic test
(RDT) for final diagnosis or classification. Thus, not all children with fever are treated with
antimalarial drugs. Treatment of malaria is also dependent on the availability of appropriate
antimalarial drugs, RDTs, and microscopy tests in health facilities or at SISCa. However, in the
absence of the primary use of RDTs, the use of microscopy testing is promoted in health facilities, and
patients with fever are immediately prescribed paracetamol or antibiotics even before the malaria test
results are returned (see detailed discussion in Chapter 13). Differentials in the percentage of children
for whom advice or treatment is sought by background characteristics such as mother’s education and
wealth status are minimal.
Table 11.6 Prevalence and treatment of fever
Among children under age 5, the percentage who had a fever in the two weeks preceding the survey; and
among children with fever, the percentage of children for whom treatment was sought from a health facility or
provider, the percentage who took antimalarial drugs, and the percentage who took antibiotic drugs, by
background characteristics, Timor-Leste 2009-10
Among children under
age 5: Children under age 5 with fever
Background
characteristic
Percentage
with fever
Number of
children
Percentage
for whom
advice or
treatment
was sought
from a health
facility or
provider 1
Percentage
who took
antimalarial
drugs
Percentage
who took
antibiotic
drugs
Number of
children
Age in months